Tumulak wants Tom to end SRP issues

CEBU, Philippines — The filing of a proposed resolution requesting Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to negotiate and to put an end to all South Road Properties-related cases, including the questioned 45-hectare prime lot bought by three giant developers, was deferred.

Councilor David Tumulak, author of the measure, said it is high time to bring the issues to an end.

“The prompt disposition of cases involving the SRP could revitalize investor confidence in the multi-billion undertaking that is the SRP,” read a portion of the proposed resolution.

Tumulak said the mayor should negotiate the parties of the cases involving the SRP.

These include the consignation case filed by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Ayalaland, Inc., and Cebu Holdings, Inc.; prohibition with application for issuance of a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction filed by Councilor Joel Garganera; mandamus and prohibition with application for an ex-parte 72-hour TRO, writ of preliminary injunction, and/ status quo ante order filed by SM against Osmeña and others; grave misconduct and serious dishonesty filed by Ramil Ayuman against Osmeña; and declaratory relief filed by Romulo Torres against the City Council.

Others are for deceits under the Revised Penal Code filed by the city against SM; for petition for review on certiorari filed by the city against spouses of Roque Ting; and collection of sum of money of the spouses of Roque and Fatima Ting against the city government.

It has been the position of Osmeña that the 45-hectare lot sale bought by the consortium of Ayala Land, Cebu Holdings Inc. and SM Prime Holdings and the Filinvest Land Inc. was “invalid and illegal.”

In 2015, the previous administration sold the 45-hectare lot to the giant firms for P16.7 billion.

But when Osmeña assumed office, he refused to acknowledge the sale, saying former mayor Michael Rama was unauthorized to sign the deed of sale and other “deficiencies.”

Rama said the cases that Tumulak wants to be entered into a compromise agreement involved billions worth of properties.

Tumulak’s resolution though was not included in yesterday’s main council agenda as it failed to meet the deadline for the submission, which was Friday last week.

But Tumulak pushed for its inclusion in the agenda’s amendment.

The amendment portion is tackled after the approval of the suspension of House Rules and before the adjournment of the regular session.

City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera objected to the suspension of House Rules, saying that the proposed resolution of Tumulak does not fall under legislations that are qualified to be presented during the amendment portion of the session.

“The proposed resolution of member Tumulak does not comply with our House Rules. Legislations about contracts and memoranda should not be presented in the context of amendment,” she said.

City Councilor Eduardo Rama, for his part, said Tumulak should introduce his proposed resolution and present it as part of the agenda and not in the amendment portion.

It took almost 30 minutes before Tumulak yielded to the suggestion of other members of the City Council to submit the resolution in next week’s regular session. — KBQ (FREEMAN)