Tomas won't stop probe against trader

CEBU - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday assured that he will not stop the city council from investigating why his friend businessman Vincent Go secured a title for his land in barangay Mambaling that reportedly used to be part of the sea.

Osmeña admitted that Go became his close friend after the latter acceded to his request to donate part of his property for the road-right-of-way of the Mambaling Access Road to the South Road Properties.

The mayor said he believed that Go’s ownership of a property near the SRP-Mambaling Access Road is legal and was titled several decades ago, but later the place was submerged.

Go, who is not related to Augusto Go who owns the University of Cebu, is also very willing to present his proof that the property really belongs to his parents.

Osmeña said after he won as mayor in 2001, he quickly looked for the owner of the lots that will be affected by the access road that would serve as entrance and exit points of vehicles coming to and from Mambaling.

The city has spent more than P15 million for the road-right-of-way for the lots owned by other private individuals, and Osmeña estimated that the property of Go that was donated to the city is even much bigger and costs more.

“Mao na nga nalipay g’yod ko kay sa pag-donate ni Go sa iyang property, nakadaginot g’yod ang syudad. But if they want to investigate, I will not stop them,” the mayor said.

It was Mambaling barangay captain Rudy Estela who made the expose when he appeared before the city council last Wednesday, but Osmeña believes Estela did it because he has a grudge against Go.

Osmeña said Go granted the request of the UC Nautical Department in Mambaling to construct a road passing through his property so students no longer have to pass through a remote road to go to school, but added Estela wanted the road constructed somewhere else.

Go’s property was included in the city council session because part of the property is always flooded after rains and Estela believes the area might be a breeding site of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)