Council sets meeting with SRP lot buyers
Members of the council found themselves in a tie, 8-8, whether to hold an executive session with officials from the firms on May 8. Labella eventually break the tie in favor of holding the session. File
CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council will meet with representatives of Filinvest Land Inc. and the consortium of Ayala Land, Cebu Holdings Inc., and SM Prime Holdings to apprise the council on the status of a 45.2-hectare lot sale sealed by the previous administration.
Members of the council found themselves in a tie, 8-8, whether to hold an executive session with officials from the firms on May 8. Labella eventually break the tie in favor of holding the session.
Councilor Joel Garganera, in a privilege speech, criticized Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s plans to put up a sports hub on a 20-hectare land at SRP, which is part of the lot sold to giant developers.
“With the acts of the Mayor, I am concerned that his pronouncements are merely political tactics in order to depict a situation wherein he is the David and the 'big corporations' are the Goliath. He is also trying to portray himself as the mayor who can take the law into his own hands whenever he pleases,” Garganera said.
This prompted Councilor Eduardo Rama to ask for the executive session so that the legislative body will be apprised on the updates of the lot sale considering that the city’s executive department is not acknowledging the sale.
But Councilor Sisinio Andales, ally of the mayor, said calling for executive session is “irrelevant to the speech of Garganera because it is uncertain if the lot where the sports hub will be established is the same lot reportedly sold to the giant firms.”
In 2015, former mayor Michael Rama’s administration sold 45.2 hectares of lots at SRP. The consortium of Ayala Land, Cebu Holdings Inc., and SM Prime Holdings bought 26.3 hectares for P16.7 billion while 19.2 hectares were awarded to Filinvest Land Inc.— KBQ (FREEMAN)
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