Tomas: No ordinance violated
Believing it is legal, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has defended the continued operation of the controversial van-for-hire terminal in Barangay Kamagayan.
In his press conference yesterday, the mayor said he did not violate City Ordinance 1958 which regulates the establishment of and operation of terminals for public utility jeepneys and Vhire vehicles in the city, since the Kamagayan terminal is just a "parking area."
Osmeña also told reporters that they don't impose fees and the money that goes to the city's coffers is a voluntary contribution of V-Hire drivers.
"Yes, there's an ordinance and we are not operating a terminal, technically speaking. They are operating themselves. It's a parking lot as far we're concerned and they make a contribution to the city hall. Di mi modawat anang kwarta nga P400,000 matag bulan?" he said.
Since October 2016, the V-hire terminal started operating and it has been giving at least P400,000 monthly to the city government.
Opposition councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia had earlier urged the mayor to shut down the terminal because it violates the existing city ordinance.
Earlier, Garcia said the operation of the V-Hire terminal is illegal, since it does not have a certificate of accreditation from the City Council.
He added that the ordinance prohibits the establishments of terminals near schools, churches, among others.
Osmeña said the Kamagayan terminal gave convenience to Cebuanos who are from the province.
He said putting up a terminal in the downtown area has a good impact to the city because people from the province can go back to their hometown every now and then.
"That's why you have a mayor. You have a mayor so that you can really be sensitive towards the needs of the people. If you want to follow technically to all these rules, the city can be run by a computer, right?" he said.
Osmeña doesn't have any plans of transferring the location of the V-Hire terminal, saying the present site is already suitable area for it.
The mayor said Garcia has a political motive in stopping the operation of the terminal.
It was Garcia who lodged criminal complaint against Osmeña before the Office of the Ombudsman over the "illegal" operation of the Kamagayan terminal in March 2017.
"Garcia doesn't want it to succeed, just simple as that. Pamolitika rana uy. His cousin, Gwen Garcia wants to run for governor. Lain gyud iyahang agenda. Kung malipay ang mga taw tungod sa serbisyo sa tabang gikan sa governor, iyahang ibabag," Osmeña said.
To recall, due to the request of Governor Hilario Davide III, the terminal will remain open.
Before it happened, Osmeña made an order to close it as he wants to dismantle the hierarchy of the previous administrator, Douglas Labra.
"You want somebody who cares, somebody who can analyze, somebody who can sympathize, maminaw sa mga tawo,"Osmeña said. —
Odessa O. Leyson/GAN