CEBU City’s barangay officials will ask Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to reconsider his decision to return the P800 million cash aid given to them and ask the Ombudsman-Visayas to stop the recall order on ambulances.
Apas barangay chairman and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) vice president Ramil Ayuman said while they declared that they will defy the mayor’s orders, they will still ask for his reconsideration.
The mayor said the P800 million cash aid to barangay officials given by former mayor Michael Rama was issued a notice of disallowance by the Commission on Audit (COA).
“Mangayo jud ta og reconsideration (We will ask for a reconsideration),” Ayuman said in a phone interview.
Ayuman also said the ambulances are indispensable in responding to medical emergencies in barangays.
Osmeña said the recall order on ambulances was intended for inventory by the General Services Office (GSO).
While Osmeña said the recall order is temporary, Ayuman doubted it.
“Dili nana mabalik (It will not be returned), knowing Tomas’s style,” Ayuman said.
He said it will be the same as the recall order issued by Osmeña’s wife and then acting mayor Margot Osmeña to service vehicles issued to barangay officials.
“They ordered the return of the Toyota Hilux vehicles and gave them to the police,” Ayuman said.
Among the three barangay chairpersons who received the mayor’s July 12 memorandum is Cambinocot barangay chairman Rey Lauron./USJ-R Intern Dafne N. Wenceslao