AS if to taunt his critic and cousin former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña urged other private companies to pay their taxes in advance so the City can use it for services for their benefit.

Tomas disputed Son-ny’s statement that allowing SM City Cebu to “dictate” where their P50 million advance tax payments will be spent is usurpation of public funds.

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“They’re not dictating. It’s a request because they can’t dictate. It’s a request I accepted and that should not be considered as usurpation... It’s a way to encourage
people to pay their taxes,” Tomas said.

In his news conference yesterday, he cited the public distrust of government since some believe that the taxes go to the mayor’s pocket.

By granting the request of SM, the mayor said he wants to show the public that the City uses the taxpayers’ money for the services they prefer, as long as the Commission on Audit (COA) allows it.

“Usurpation of public funds? Oh my goodness! To me that’s good government. Maayo lang siya mangita ug sala ba (He’s just good at finding fault),” he said of Sonny.

“So I will now take advantage of the situation since Sonny made this an issue. Again, it’s not exclusive to SM and Filinvest.

Just tell me where you want your taxes spent and we will take note of it as long as it is allowed by COA.

I’ll even plant roses in front of your sidewalk,” Tomas added.

Last Thursday, Sonny criticized the City’s agreements with private companies on advance tax payments and for allowing them to decide where their taxes should go.

He said all taxes should be used for the benefit of the public.

“That is usurpation. The offer of SM is totally unacceptable.

To begin with, even if they are paying in advance, that is taxpayers’ money. It belongs to all taxpayers, not just SM. SM can’t dictate what we will use the money for,” he had said.

The City Council passed a resolution last Wednesday authorizing the mayor to sign and enter into a memorandum of agreement with SM Prime Holdings Inc., the owner and operator of SM City, for its advance tax payment of P50 million.

SM Prime asked City Hall to relocate the informal settlers living in the five streets at the North Reclamation Area, and to light up the streets surrounding their mall.

Part of the amount will also be spent to fabricate and install traffic road signs in the five streets and to construct the center islands in the main roads. The payment will also be used to “straighten” Mahiga Creek and install culverts, utility holes and stone masonry.

A similar agreement was made with Filinvest Land Inc. last September, when it paid in advance some P11.6 million in taxes, and asked the City to use the money to build a drainage system and concretize roads surrounding their condominium project in Barangay Kasambagan.