Tom O to court: Stop eviction of cemetery settlers

Former Cebu city mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday  appeared in court and argued  against the eviction of settlers in the  Doña Pepang Cemetery, which City Hall plans to beautify and develop into a  heritage park.

Osmeña was allowed to speak on condition that his remarks  were not considered part of the official proceedings of the court since the mayor’s legal counsel was not present.

For five minutes, Osmeña stood before Judge Alexander Acosta of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 and explained the need to stop a planned demolition on Monday, July 27.

The judge last Monday already dismissed the civil complaint filed by Osmeña against Mayor Michael Rama over the cemetery, paving the way for City Hall to start clearing  illegal structures in front of the cemetery and inside.

Osmeña’s lawyer Benjamin Militar aksed the court to let the former mayor speak.

At first the judge denied the request, then allowed Osmeña to speak “off the record”.

Osmeña presented himself as a voice of the informal settlers who would be displaced.

About 50 residents  wearing black arm bands attended the hearing.

“We don’t treat people like animals. The laws are supposed to serve men, not the other way around. Something is not right here. People put their loved ones there, and you would demolish them because you intend to put a concert place (amphitheater). It doesn’t make sense. It’s disgusting,” said Osmeña, whose family mausoleum is the central landmark of the park and of City Hall’s plans to preserve it as a heritage site.

“I feel for them and I want to explain to them that it was never my intention to demolish (their houses).”

Osmeña said that when he was Cebu City mayor, it  it was his plan to just fix the road at the cemetery, not to build  an amphitheater as what the current administration plans.

One of the evidence presented by City Hall was a letter of Osmena to Ricardo Cardina Vidal on July 16, 2008 stating his desire to “put up a beautiful park” in the cemetery.

The court set a hearing at 8:30 a.m. Monday to determine whether or not it will stop the Cebu City government from destroying the illegal structures inside the cemetery.

Osmeña said that by asking the court to stop the demolition, he exercises his role as  administrator of his parents’ estate.

The remains of his father,  the late senator Sergio Osmeña Jr.,  and Estefania “Doña Pepang” Veloso Osmeña, wife of the late President Sergio Osmeña Sr., are buried there.

Collin Rossell, Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) assured settlers in the Dona Pepang Cemetery of relocation.

“We are reparing for relocation of  all 40 families. But along the way, there will still be a screening process,” Rosell said.

Those  who already own lots or houses will not qualify for the city’s socialized housing program.

The city plans to transfer the families to a  reblocked area of barangay Lorega San Miguel nearby. These  agreements with  DWUP were reached with  residents after a meeting at City Hall last Tuesday.