CEBU City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña on Thursday, July 3, 2025, cast further doubt on the return of a P4.4-million electric SUV.
He questioned the delay in issuing a legal opinion and accused the former administration of acting only after losing the elections.
In a statement, Osmeña responded to the defense made by former mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, whom Osmeña identified as the nephew of former Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Also read: Raymond Garcia denies extravagant spending, says SUV purchase was canceled
Osmeña stated that the former mayor cited the vehicle's return as proof it was not a case of corruption.
“According to Gwen’s nephew, it’s not corruption because the overpriced P4.4-million SUV was returned,” Osmeña said. “Question: For how long was the vehicle used before it was returned?”
Osmeña questioned why the City Legal Office's opinion, cited as the reason for the BYD electric SUV's return, was issued a month after the elections and nearly a year after the purchase request. He also asked why the vehicle's return took so long, emphasizing that it was a used vehicle, not merely a canceled purchase.
"If the car was already expensive in the purchase request, why not stop it right there? Why wait to lose the election before trying to cover your tracks?" Osmeña asked. "Is this why Mayor Nestor (Archival) is still being denied access to key documents? What else are they hiding? In the words of a wise man—‘Bakit ngayon ka lang?’"
He concluded with a remark: "By the way, you left the BYD’s charger in the parking lot."
The vehicle in question is a BYD (Build Your Dreams) electric SUV, reportedly priced at P4.4 million. The new administration is now scrutinizing the procurement process, including the timing of the legal opinion and the unit's subsequent return. (EHP)