Margot tells execs: Return city’s vehicles by Tuesday
Tisa village chief claims recall order is a form of harassment
Cebu City and barangay officials as well as department heads have only until Tuesday next week to return their government-issued vehicles, acting Mayor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña said yesterday.
“If they don’t want to return it, it is very clear that they are using something that does not belong to them,” Osmeña told reporters in a press conference yesterday.
She said if they fail to return the vehicles, then City Hall’s General Services Office would confiscate them and she will consider suing those officials who refuse to turn them over.
“We just want to make an inventory and find out who are using them. We found out that there is a member of a commission, I will not mention who, who has a brand new Montero,” Osmeña said.
Tisa barangay chairman Philip Zafra and several barangay officials said they will write a letter to Osmeña stating why they cannot turn over the vehicles issued to them.
Zafra, also president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), said it is their contention that returning the vehicles will hamper their daily operations.
“If and when the purpose is for inventory, puwede mana mabisita sa barangay (they can visit the barangay),” Zafra said.
He claimed that the recall order is a form of harassment.
Zafra also lamented a new memorandum issued by Osmeña ordering the cancellation of the request to use the buses in barangays.
He said the residents were disappointed especially those who already booked the bus.
Osmeña said city buses will be used only for burials and not for outings.
If they want to request use of the vehicles, she said the request must be valid.
She said she did not see any problem with the order because vehicles used for emergencies and peace and order like ambulances, police cars, fire trucks and essential services like garbage trucks are exempted.
Osmeña also found out that there are barangays that did not receive the memorandum.
“It is also not fair for them to expect them to return (the vehicles) if they have not received the memo because we want to make sure that it is received properly,” Osmeña said.
Osmeña said officials will be held accountable for any loss or damage to the vehicle.
She said she received a report that there was one unit that had its whole transmission changed.
Part of their inventory is to check how much the city spends for the fuel.
“Imagine, there are some who get 500 liters a month for their car. They are swimming in their gasoline, right?” Osmeña said.
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