Osmeña: Demolition victims won’t cry for the mayor

FORMER mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said many urban communities whose houses were demolished by Mayor Michael Rama will not feel sorry that he was suspended.

Rama “is trying very hard to get sympathy for his suspension,” said Osmena in a statement.

“One thing is for sure, his demolition victims won’t shed a tear for him.”

“Did he get public sympathy for demolishing the Dona Pepang Cemetery?  Or the Citi Center complex?  How about the Lorega cemetery, Warwicks Barracks, barangay Capitol (two sites), the

Mahiga Creek settlers or Taboan Market, to name a few?  These people (had their buildings) demolished without relocation or compensation, and usually without a court order.”

Osmeña praised Labangon barangay captain Victor Buendia for filing the complaint that resulted in Rama’s 60-day preventive suspension for ordering the demolition of a barangay center island and lamppost project without a court order.

The mayor said the structure was a safety hazard for motorists, but the Office of the President said it was “not a nuisance per se” and that the mayor should have followed due process and secured a court order.

Osmeña commended the barangay captain for standing up to Rama.

“That’s one reason Bando Osmena- Pundok Kauswagan chose him to run for city councilor – aside from being chosen by the DILG as the Most Outstanding Barangay Captain in Region 7 in 2014 and having the best anti-drug program according to the Police Regional Office-7 this year.”