Cebu City Mayor Garcia welcomes Yogi Ruiz’s CBRT hazard lawsuit

Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said he welcomed the lawsuit filed by former Customs Commissioner and mayoral aspirant Yogi Filemon Ruiz, who raised safety concerns about the debris left along Osmeña Boulevard as part of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

He said that he was prepared to address the issue if the complaint had merit and assured the public that any legitimate concerns would be resolved.

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“All I can say is that katungod na niya [Yogi] nga mo-file (that is his right to file). We always welcome lawsuits kay if there is really merit into it, then we will look into it,” Garcia said in an interview on Friday, October 18.

Garcia, however, noted that he had yet to receive the formal complaint and declined to comment further until the official complaint would be in his hand.

“I would call Engr. Norvin Imbong, the CBRT management, as well as the DOTr, then we will look into kaning mga reklamo (into this complaint),” he said.

He said that the city was still working on resolving long-standing issues and asked for the public’s patience as his administration is relatively new.

“We are serious with our governance in Cebu City. Kahibawo baya mo nga bag-o lang ko nihural, bag-o pa kaayo ta. We cannot solve the problems overnight. Give us more time,” Garcia said.

(We are serious with our governance in Cebu City. You know that I just took my oath, I am new on the job. We cannot solve the problems overnight. Give us more time.)

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Ruiz filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas on October 17, accusing Mayor Garcia of grave misconduct and serious neglect of duty.

He is now calling for Garcia’s preventive suspension and is charging him with violations of Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The issue centers on construction materials and debris left in the center lanes of Osmeña Boulevard for four months, specifically between P. del Rosario St. and Plaza Independencia.

According to Ruiz, these materials pose a hazard to motorists and pedestrians. He also highlighted that businesses in the area have suffered due to road closures linked to the BRT project’s Package 1, which includes constructing a “link-to-port” feature to enhance traffic flow by redesigning Osmeña Blvd.

The complaint claims that while lampposts installed along the boulevard were removed following public backlash, the footings and debris were left behind, further endangering road users.

“The lampposts have since been removed, but the footings and other groundworks and debris have been recklessly left on the center of the lanes for four months already,” Ruiz stated in his letter to Deputy Ombudsman Dante Vargas.

In June 2024, newly installed lampposts on Osmeña Boulevard caused public outrage due to their hazardous placement on the sidewalks and center lanes.

Garcia, who was then acting mayor, ordered the removal of the lampposts by June 25, where he cited the lack of permits and the danger they posed to pedestrians and commuters.

Despite this action, Ruiz’s complaint alleges that Garcia’s response was inadequate, as debris from the project remains, causing safety risks.

He argued that Garcia’s inaction undermined the city’s safety efforts.

“The presence of these road hazards even as of this writing clearly demonstrates the inaction and indifference of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia… all his pronouncements on the matter were mere lip service,” Ruiz stated.