CEBU - Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday instructed the city lawyers to look into whatever legal assistance the city government could provide to prevent Capitol officials from taking back the 1.9-hectare lot previously donated to the National Manpower and Youth Council, now the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Rama summoned acting city attorney Rodolfo Golez and senior city legal officer Joseph Bernaldez to his office and both of them were instructed to coordinate with the Tesda officials because the city is willing to offer them legal services.
The acting mayor even said that the city may bring up the issue before the Malacañang officials or with the Office of the Solicitor General, as he is not in favor of the plan of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to take back the said lot.
Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña who is still in Boston, Massachusetts had sent text messages to reporters saying that the city will take legal action to prevent the governor from her move and let Tesda continue its stay in its present location at the corner of Archbishop Reyes and Juan Luna Avenues.
Meanwhile, councilor Gerardo Carillo said he is scheduled to meet with the Tesda officials anytime today to discuss about the issue. He said he is not disturbed by the statement of Capitol consultant Rory John Sepulveda that the “donation of the lot was not materialized”.
“If that is their claim, they can go to court. But they will be surprised with our evidence,” Carillo said.
Rama also rejected Sepulveda’s suggestion that the city should give space to the Tesda at the South Road Properties because such government office is doing well in the place where it is situated.
Osmeña criticized Garcia’s move to recover the lot occupied by Tesda saying that it is an anti-poor stance because most of Tesda’s students are from the province “seeking to break free from a life of marginalized farming.”
Although the provincial government had entered into a deed of donation with the NMYC, Sepulveda argued that it was provided in the agreement that the ownership of the property automatically reverts to the Province in the event the NMYC is abolished. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)