Friday, August 15, 2008 Fence built by Capitol in Tesda torn down for lack of permit
CEBU City Hall personnel tore down yesterday a fence put up by Capitol on a Province-owned lot in Barangay Luz because it lacked a fencing permit.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the Capitol attempted to fence off a lot across the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) 7 compound, which is owned by the Province.
Osmeña said it should serve as a reminder to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia that she is not the city mayor, and that in Cebu City, Capitol officials still have to follow city ordinances.
“There was an attempt to fence off a basketball court but we demolished it because they don’t have a building or fencing permit. Let this be a clear warning to the Provincial Government that they are not exempted from city ordinances,” he told a news conference.
“I don’t care if this escalates into something. We just have to send the message that you are not the mayor,” the mayor said.
He said, though, that the City will not be taking any action against the Provincial Government officials for their violations.
Application
When asked if he will approve the fencing permit if Capitol applies for one, he said: “Well, we will evaluate the permit application, but you know, the red tape here in City Hall is grabe sometimes.”
On the other hand, Capitol information consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said the Provincial Government will refer the matter to the barangay.
While it’s true that the basketball fence lacked the necessary permit, Sepulveda said that Capitol will no longer give the mayor further headaches.
“He’s got enough of his own making. We are confident the barangay captain is reasonable, and respects and conducts himself in accordance with the law,” he said.
Sepulveda said the Province’s task force real estate built the fence around the basketball court purportedly to prevent sidewalk vendors from occupying the area.
Negotiation
Province-owned lots around Tesda in Barangay Luz and 11 other barangays occupied by some 5,000 families have caused a rift between Osmeña and Garcia after negotiations for a land swap failed in 2004.
The conflict prompted Capitol to exert its rights over its properties in the city, and fenced off several of the lots, including a road in front of the Chong Hua Hospital and another road leading to the Asiatown IT Park. (LCR/With GMD)
