Tomas Osmeña: Cebu City Hall irregularities just the ‘tip of the iceberg’

FILE: A glimpse at the facade of the Cebu City Hall. | CDN Digital photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Just the tip of the iceberg.”

This was how Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña on Monday described the irregularities they uncovered at City Hall, saying that the alleged overpricing and other issues recently flagged in Cebu City’s procurement transactions represent just a fraction of the deeper, more troubling problems left behind by the previous administration.

“My God. You know, we are just touching the tip of the iceberg. It’s very, very sickening. I really feel sick,” Osmeña said in an interview on July 7. “I feel sick for two reasons: one, the people of Cebu are deprived. Two, we are troubled by cleaning up the mess.”

READ: Archival blames Cebu City’s P3B deficit to SUV deal, ‘wasteful spending’

Osmeña lamented that previous leaders have caused extensive damage to city governance and public trust.

“Why did you people elect Rama and Labella in the first place? Grabe gyud. Look at what they left behind. We lost SRP. We lost the Carbon Market. Everything that they can put their hands on. But anyway, we have a legal process, we have a process of documentation, and there’s plenty more to come out,” he said.

He confirmed that Heidi Mendoza, a former commissioner of the Commission on Audit and an advocate of public accountability, has been tapped to independently review the city’s finances.

“We need help. We need people whose reputation and competencies are unquestioned,” Osmeña said.

READ: Osmeña slams ‘vulgar’ P4.4M SUV deal; Garcia says purchase was canceled

‘That’s nothing compared to what’s next’

Commenting on recent reports of an alleged P20,000 T-shirt purchase under the past administration, Osmeña said the issue barely scratches the surface.

“There’s more than that… that’s nothing compared to what we will discuss later on. I don’t like to be hilaw,” he said.

He explained that while he’s eager to expose irregularities, his current focus is on finalizing plans for development initiatives.

“You know this would come out step by step, but right now I’m trying to put my projects together because they are very challenging. We have to break the law and change the law, whatever,” Osmeña said.

He cited plans to develop land in Sudlon for a sewing factory and potential partnerships with TESDA.

“We cannot fault-find. We have to grow and we have to make money—look forward instead of blaming other people,” he said.

On Garcia and Rama: ‘Show the papers’

Asked about former mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s claim that the reported P2 to P3 billion deficit was inaccurate, Osmeña had a blunt response.

“Tell him to produce the papers. Tell him to show the papers. Stop talking. Show the papers,” he said.

On former mayor Michael Rama’s pledge to serve as Garcia’s legal defender, Osmeña dismissed it outright.

“Unsay unfair? Looy si Raymond? Between two lawyers, both of them are lawyers, but I heard the expression: What a blind leading the blind… Paka-oa lang siya. Kulang siya sa pansin. He is alarmed that the people don’t love him anymore. I don’t care. People can judge themselves. I have been a mayor before. Was he alarmed?”

Will cases be filed?

Asked whether legal charges will be pursued, Osmeña deferred to Mayor Archival.

“I cannot answer the question because I’m only the vice mayor. It’s up to the mayor. It’s his prerogative. Of course, I want to file a case, but before you can file a case, you have to have a legal team. You cannot file cases with one or two [lawyers], and many of them are identified with the previous administration,” he said.

“Of course, I have [strong] evidence. Because many of these transactions have paper trails.”

Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. also called it a “correct legal movement,” and said there is a need for a proper process.

Budget woes, SUV controversy

The remarks come after Archival on Saturday said that wasteful and possibly irregular spending under the Rama-Garcia administration has contributed to the city’s budget deficit, which he estimated at P2 to P3 billion.

He cited a luxury SUV purchase flagged for being overpriced by over P1 million, as well as preliminary findings of overpriced supplies.

“If you’re going to buy a car worth P3.4 million, and then charge the city P4.4 million… that is unacceptable,” Archival said.

“The moment you let this pass, others will just follow and think ‘okay ra man diay.’ That is not good for the city,” he added.

Garcia denied any financial shortfall under his term and claimed he left over P12 billion in city coffers.

But Archival said the actual available balance is now far lower, and the city has already run into a negative position when obligations and payroll are factored in.

Since taking office, Archival has frozen job order renewals and begun reviewing MOOE expenditures, citing the need to prioritize essential workers and fix the city’s financial state.