‘Vehicles given to brys. are City-owned’

Cebu City Councilor Margarita Osmeña has reminded some Team Rama barangay captains that vehicles issued to them before are owned by the City Government and are not theirs.

Osmeña’s reaction came after seven City and barangay officials who belong to the opposition were formally charged recently with violating Article 221 of the Revised Penal Code after they failed to return on time their city-issued vehicles.

“It doesn’t belong to them. It belongs to the City, and it is being used by the City and it doesn’t mean it will be given back to them,” she told reporters.

In an earlier interview, Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman and Tisa Barangay Captain Philip Zafra questioned the recall of the vehicles since these were never returned to them.

In May 2016, Osmeña, who was then acting mayor of the City, signed a memorandum asking all the barangays to return their city-issued vehicles for inventory.

Zafra said that several months after the inventory, the vehicles were not returned to them.

As to the allegations that Mayor Osmeña had a hand in why the case was fast-tracked, the councilor believes that the court just followed the normal process.

“It’s been nine months already since it was filed. Is that fast? If they have good lawyers, all those reasons that they’re giving, they can bring it up to the court,” she said.

Ayuman, Zafra along with Barangay Captains Yolandito Cagang of Basak Pardo, Ana Tabal of Tagbao, Rosalita Callino of Buot, Lemar Alcover of Sambag 1, and then Tinago Village Chief Joel Garganera, who is now a city councilor, were among those formally charged.

The councilor said that Mayor Osmeña is also willing to answer the new complaint that Ayuman filed against him over the two Dodge Chargers./

It’s been nine months already since it was filed. Is that fast? If they have good lawyers, all those reasons that they’re giving, they can bring it up to court. COUNCILOR MARGOT OSMEÑA