CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he wants to shut down the Citilink Terminal, citing as his reason an existing ordinance as well as plans to rebuild the city hospital from the ground up.
“With CCMC being there, klarohon nato nga naay ordinance nga nag ingon no terminals near hospitals (we have to be clear that there is an ordinance that prohibits transport terminals from operating near hospitals),” Rama said.
Citilink terminal president Albert Lim said the city government is unfairly singling them out and is persecuting them. He challenged the mayor to prove with documents that jeepney and van terminals in Ayala and SM malls are not complying with the city ordinance.
The Citilink terminal was established during the administration of former mayor Tomas Osmeña. Rama wanted to close down the terminal due to suspicions of corruption.
The operation of dispatchers at the terminal is another indication of corruption, he added. Rama said the removal of the Citilink terminal would decongest traffic along N. Bacalso Avenue.
In a letter to acting City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas, Lim said they haven’t been delinquent in paying the city’s 15 percent share of their income and accreditation fee since 2003. Lim said their remittances to the city have been erratic due to the presence of informal terminals in southern Cebu City. He said some jeepneys no longer pass by their terminal to avoid payment of terminal fees.