Rama to CPA "padrinos": Face me

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama is challenging personalities acting as "padrino" to the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) to come out in the open and face him.

This after the CPA has refused to cooperate with the Cebu City government over several concerns, including the Compania Maritima property and the project CPA has built behind the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu also fronting the long disputed property.

Last Monday, police and Cebu City government personnel had to forcibly break the padlocked gates of the CPA near the Compania Maritima following Rama’s orders to check on the area due to the alleged ongoing construction activities despite already being ordered to stop.

After which, CPA posted on their Facebook post that personnel of the Cebu City government particularly from the Office of the Building Official (OBO), Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE), and Cebu City Legal Office “forcibly entered the port premises despite the fact that the area is outside their territorial jurisdiction and in defiance of the Writ of Injunction issued in favor of CPA.”

The CPA stressed that R.A. 7621 or the Charter of the CPA empowers the Cebu Port Commission (CPC) to manage, administer, operate, maintain, improve and develop, coordinate and otherwise govern the activities of all the ports within its territorial jurisdiction.

“It can determine by survey and establish by engineering design the exact location, system and character of any and all port facilities, which it may own, construct, establish, effectuate, operate or control,” read their statement.

The CPC, accordingly, can provide and maintain port facilities including accessory buildings and installations within its territorial jurisdiction on its own or through the private sector.

“Thus, we strongly condemn these flagrant acts of oppression, harassment, grave abuse and usurpation of authority, and blatant disregard of the law and judicial processes committed by men and women in the seat of power who publicly display knowledge of the law yet conceal a weak ethical core…CPA will continue to rise above these challenges and will hold the interest of the public and the stakeholders over all by staying firm to its commitment to deliver safe, efficient and effective port services,” CPA’s statement read.

CPA has also sent a letter to OBO demanding them to take out the barricade that the city government has placed earlier this week.

Rama, in response to this move, said CPA does not seem to know what they’re doing.

“Wala na sila kahibaw sa ilang gibuhat. Pasaylo-a na sila kay wala na sila kahibaw sa ilang gibuhat. Wala gyud na silay kalibutan,” Rama said over the City’s Sugboanon channel yesterday.

Rama went on discussing the things he did for the NMP-Cebu, which was formerly the Malacanan sa Sugbo, and vows to continue preserving the area.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) has also ordered CPA to explain their wharf expansion at the back of the NMP and why it does not have an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

Rama said with the said concerns, it's likely that someone is behind CPA.

“Palihug lang, kinsa man gyu’y mga tao…who are the people hiding? Ang problema man gud diha naa nay mga tao kanang ginganlan nato diha’g nag padrino padrino diha!” Mayor Rama said.

The Mayor was asked who he was referring to, but only said that whoever they are, they should come out in the open and not be cowards.

“Pagawasa sila. Don’t go there hiding. That is, for me, cowardice. Make your face appear. Then I will confront you…pataka man mo’g sod nga dili ninyo territory,” Mayor Rama added.

Rama is also expecting President Bongbong Marcos to look into this matter concerning the CPA, as well as the other issues that beset the city’s development. –/ATO (FREEMAN)