Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña talked with the media on Tuesday, March 5, concerning CBRT. CDN Digital photo/Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — “We’ll see each other in court.”
This was the statement of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña addressed to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in relation to Garcia’s call on stopping the ongoing construction of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) on province-owned lots along Osmeña Boulevard.
“If the governor would insist (on stopping CBRT works on province-owned lots) because that’s their property, I will say it’s not your property,” Tomas said.
READ: Gwen orders to halt Cebu BRT construction in heritage buffer zones
On February 27, Garcia issued a memorandum, addressed to the Cebu BRT Team and the contractor, Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Ltd., to cease and desist civil works on province-owned lots along Osmeña Boulevard.
In memorandum No. 16-2024, the governor pointed out that ongoing construction of the Cebu BRT has encroached portions of the buffer zones of the Cebu Provincial Capitol and Fuente Osmeña circle.
As a result, the project can potentially violate several laws on protecting and preserving heritage properties. These included the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 10066).
‘Donated by my father’
Consequently, on Tuesday, Tomas Osmeña told reporters that he would be willing to see the governor in court if the province insists to stop the civil works of the CBRT in some portions of the Osmeña Boulevard, recalling that his late father Sergio Osmeña Jr. used to own some lots from Juana Osmeña Street.
He added that we would also reclaim ownership if that happens.
“He (Sergio Osmeña Jr.) owned everything from Juana Osmeña up to the Guadalupe…Osmeña Boulevard was donated by my father, even in the middle [part of the lot occupied by] the Capitol,” Tomas added.
The former Cebu City mayor called for a press conference on Tuesday to address concerns circling the CBRT.
Despite the various calls of some government officials to stop the CBRT works, Tomas Osmeña wanted the contractors to continue completing the CBRT, given that billions of money were already spent on the project. / with reports from Morexette Marie Erram
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