Dad: Proponent can’t revive dead resolution

The Cebu City’s executive department cannot just revive the P18-billion proposed integrated resort as planned by Mayor Tomas Osmeña, so said an opposition member of the City Council.

In a press conference, Councilor Jose Daluz III said that one of the house rules of the City Council include the prohibition for a rejected measure to be revived once a councilor who voted against it will be the one to introduce it.

“Maayong makahibaw sila daan nga they cannot return that issue because klaro kaayo na sa committee rules nga only the one who voted against can put that back on the floor for another deliberation,” Daluz told reporters.

It was on May 11 when the City Council, in a 9-8 vote, rejected the proposed resolution supposedly authorizing Mayor Osmeña to sign the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Universal Hotel and Resorts Inc for the P18-billion integrated resort on Kawit Island at the South Road Properties (SRP).

Osmeña recently announced his plans to revive the project at the council once he will get the majority in July.

Unless there’s someone from their group that will defect from the group, Daluz said it cannot be revived.

If the executive department will revive it, he said it needs two-thirds votes because it’s a form of motion for reconsideration on a previous decision of the council.

“According to the rules, only those who were present and voted against can revive the issue. Therefore, he cannot anymore, unless naay mamali,” he said.

Daluz said it’s a common knowledge on any parliamentarian that a subject matter, once already disapproved, can only be brought back to the floor by someone who was present and voted against it.

He believed that the mayor does not know the matter that is why he is making this pronouncement as early as now.

As for the plans of the mayor to sue the members of the ad hoc committee, Daluz said they will answer it once it will be filed.

While saying that there’s no legal basis for the filing of the case, Daluz said the opposition-allied councilors made clear in their meetings with the committee that they will not recommend for approval since the creation of the committee was to look into the proposal and give their observations and amendments to the contract.

Osmeña revealed his plan to sue Daluz, Councilors Renato Osmeña, Jr. and Raymond Alvin Garcia for voting against the project when they were reportedly part of the committee that endorsed the project.

But, Daluz said there was no recommendation in the committee report for the approval of the P18-billion project. The committee report, he said, entails the recommendations and suggestions of the members of the body.

Daluz also rejected the allegations of Osmeña who said that opposition councilors are thinking of money and political interest in disapproving the project.

He reiterated that the proposed P18-billion project is disadvantageous to the city government as the city’s contribution to the JVA is the ninehectare Kawit Island where the development will be constructed but it will only get 10 percent from the profit of the UHRI.

“I think we deserve better. Wala pa sila mohatag sa valuation sa land. Ang determination sa sharing will depend on the contribution. Dili mahimo nga mag-agad ta sa market forces,” he said.