Osmeña back at City Hall today: Labella studies request for barangay vehicle

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella will look into Barangay San Roque's request to use a city government-owned vehicle for roving and emergency purposes.

This, as Mayor Tomas Osmeña has issued a memorandum directing the General Services Office not to release any city-owned vehicles to officials, department heads, or personnel of the city without his written consent or authority.

"Otherwise, you will be charged civilly, criminally and administratively," Osmeña told GSO head Ronald Malacora.

Osmeña issued the memorandum last July 21, a few days before he left the country for a vacation with his family in Japan. Osmeña will be back in Cebu today.

Labella, who assumed as acting mayor since Saturday, said that for the meantime, they will not yet issue any vehicle to the barangay while they study the request.

"We will have to look into that. As of now, dili lang usa 'ta mohatag," he said.

In a July 26 letter, San Roque barangay captain Cyrus Lindog sought the help of Labella concerning the barangay's vehicle.

Lindog said the barangay returned its city government-issued vehicle after then acting mayor and Osmeña's wife Councilor Margarita "Margot" Osmeña ordered the recall of all city vehicles last May for inventory purposes.

Margot sat as acting mayor after former mayor Michael Rama and 13 other officials were suspended on May 17 over the release of P20,000 calamity aid to 4,200 employees of City Hall.

"But up to now, we are hoping that after a request letter sent to their office, our request still has no feedback nor given enough priority," Lindog said.

He said the barangay needs any kind of "serviceable" vehicle for roving and emergency purposes.

He claimed that he saw a city government-owned vehicle parked within the place of a certain barangay councilor allied with the new administration.

Lindog, an ally of Labella under Team Rama, said he realized that their barangay was not issued any vehicle because of politics.

Malacora, for his part, said he will take heed of the call of the mayor not to release city-owned vehicles to anybody without his consent.

"Dili ko ka-issue og sakyanan kun wala'y approval niya," he said.

He said he does not have yet the total number of barangays that were not issued with vehicles by the city government. (FREEMAN)