Cebu City dad lambasts Tomas over ‘rotting’ bus
Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia ramped up his tirades against Mayor Tomas Osmeña for allegedly allowing a vehicle to “rot” in a city-owned property.
The councilor, who is planning to file graft charges against Osmeña, went on a social media platform on Saturday to lambast the mayor.
“Instead of allowing the residents of Barangay Busay to use this bus, the Mayor has chosen to let it rot in a city- owned property all because the barangay captain is not politically affiliated with him. What a disservice to the people!” his post read.
The post, which accompanied by a photo taken by Busay Barangay Councilman Kevin Sanchez, garnered over 1,100 reactions and shared about 60 times since yesterday afternoon.
However, Osmeña said he has no knowledge about the issue.
“I don’t know anything about it,” the mayor told The FREEMAN.
Moreover, Garcia wants the mayor to release the bus, which was formerly issued to Barangay Busay, so the public can make use of it.
The bus, he said, is now sitting idle inside the city’s Department of General Services (DGS) compound at the South Road Properties.
He said it was not the first time it happened, saying the vehicles issued to barangays affiliated with Barug Team Rama were also recalled by the mayor.
“It’s happening all over again. The barangays gibawian sila og sakyanan, gibawian sila og bus, gibawian sila og garbage truck, gibawian sila og ambulansya, and gibawian sila og fire truck. To be fair, there are other vehicles I think that have been reassigned and used sa other areas pero naa sad gyu’y uban diri nga pagbawi, giparking nalang dinha nya wa na gyud gamit, naguba nalang,” Garcia said in a phone interview with The FREEMAN.
In a separate interview, DGS Head Ronaldo Malacora clarified that the bus was brought to the compound because it figured in an accident, contrary to Garcia’s claim that it was recalled.
He said the bus could no longer be repaired for being practically unsound, both financially and operationally.
“Nadisgrasya nang bus sa Busay unya gikuha sa atong maintenance. Wala nana na-repair nila sauna kay sigun pa sa ilang report nako nga dako kaayo ang magasto sa repair mura rasad mopareha sa brand new units” he said.
Citing the guidelines of the Commission on Audit, he said, vehicles that exceed the repair cost limit of 60 percent of the current market value of the vehicles are beyond economic repair.