‘NHCP, National Museum should stop port project‘
CEBU CITY (April 4, 2024) – Mayor Mike Rama has urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to intervene in the defiance of Cebu Port Authority (CPA).
He also said the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) should now take cognizance of the issue on heritage that the CPA port project will deface.
He cited Malacanang sa Sugbo, the Compania Maritima structure, the Chinese Museum, the Basilica del Santo Niño with Magellan’s Cross as valuable heritage sites the port project will affect.
Furthermore, as part of Plaza sa Katawhan, the project will also deny Cebuanos an open space to enjoy by the sea, especially at night, he noted.
“Naa may presidente uy, wala man nawa ang supporta nako sa Marcos-Duterte (tandem). Asa naman ang Malacanang sa isyu sa CPA? They have to come in,” Rama said in Ingna’ng Mayor over Sugboanon Channel today.
The CPA condemned the city government for placing barriers to stop its ongoing construction activities at the Aduana on April 1. But Mayor Rama stood pat on the taxt he ordered.
Eyesore
Rama said the port project at the Aduana has become an eyesore to Malacanang sa Sugbo, now the National Museum of Cebu, now recognized as a heritage site.
He urged the NHCP and the NMP to check if the CPA secured permits from them to implement the project.
“Have they asked permission from the National Museum, from the National Historical Commission (of the Philippines)? Mao na’y nindot kaayo nga isyu,” Rama added.
Rama said with NHCP representatives are now in Cebu City to check on Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project. They should include the CPA’s port project at the Aduana in its crosshairs, he said.
Court intervention?
The mayor said he will not seek the court’s intervention against the CPA as the city is “exercising its general welfare.” “We exercise what belongs to us,” he added.
Asked if he would seek court injunction with an immediate temporary restraining order against CPA, Rama said:
“We have the authority and the autonomy, why should I ask for a TRO? Moabot gane ang punto when general welfare is now being questioned, an order is necessary, then the mayor can be the commander-in-chief and has the power to exercise and direct in order that there will be an execution and enforcement of the law.”
He also called upon CPA officials to reveal their “padrinos” or political patrons who are behind their defiance.
“Who are these people hiding? Ang problema diha naay mga tawo nga nagpadrino diha. Ipagawas na sila!” an irate Rama said.
“Kadaot man gud nila they are hiding and that for me is cowardice. They should appear and we will confront you especially kung pataka mog sud nga dili ninyo territory,” he added.
On April 1, City administrator Collin Rosell led personnel from the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the City Legal Office to the CPA’s project site at the Aduana to serve a work stoppage order.
Backed by law enforcers, Rosell executed Mayor Rama’s order to stop the port project, displeased by CPA’s defiance of city regulations.edly padlocked the gate towards the project site.
Rosell ordered onsite the local police and city personnel to remove the padlocks and lawfully implement the work stoppage order.
Prior to that, the City filed two separate complaints against CPA over the controversial port project.
On March 15, the OBO and City Legal Office lodged multiple criminal and administrative complaints against CPA officials before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for undertaking the project without a building permit.
By March 20, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources (CCENRO) complained and reported to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that the project holds no environmental compliance certificate. | PPRMN / jkv
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