Margot Says: Bigfoot Cars Not Donated To City

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was surprised upon learning that the two vehicles donated by an international filmmaker are now being kept at the house of south district Representative Tomas R. Osmeña.

Osmena’s former public information officer Nagiel Banacia announced in 2009 that Michael Gleissner, owner of Bigfoot Global Solutions, had offered to donate the two brand new US-made V6 Dodge Charger vehicles for use in maintaining peace and order at the South Road Properties.

Bigfoot is renting two hectares of land at the SRP.

When Rama was elected mayor, his subordinates were looking for the two vehicles, but these were not listed as properties of city government.

City Hall officials told the reporters that they were surprised when they saw the patrol vehicles being used at some occasions, particularly during a Mass for the late Department of the Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo at Sacred Heart Church.

The vehicles, in black and white color, are equipped with blinkers and siren, and bear a logo of the city government.

DONATED TO MINNIE

Osmeña’s wife, Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, admitted yesterday that the vehicles are with them.

 But Councilor Osmeña said Gleissner donated the two vehicles to the congressman’s elder sister, Maria Victoria “Minnie” Osmeña, and her son Paulo.

“Mr. Gleissner does not want to donate the vehicles to the city,” Councilor Osmeña said.

According to Margot, the two vehicles are registered under the name of Minnie and Paulo.

During Osmeña’s stint as city mayor, the city allowed Bigfoot to rent two hectares of land at the SRP at close to P30 per square meter a month.

Bigfoot had paid P28 million as advance rental to the city for a period of five years.

A unit of 2009 Dodge Charger costs $21,468, or close to P1 million. Such kind of vehicle was among those being used in the movie Transformer. —/LPM(FREEMANNEWS)