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Tomas O: Protect SRP from ‘land grab’ Cebu Daily News Posted date: November 14, 2008 CEBU CITY, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is preparing for a chemotherapy in the United States of America, challenged yesterday Cebu City residents to protect the South Road Properties (SRP) against “land grabbers.” Osmeña made the call after hearing reports of Rep. Eduardo Gullas; statement vowing to file a case against the Cebu City government if it sells reclaimed land claimed by Talisay City. “Please tell the people of Cebu City that I am sick and cannot defend the SRP as much as I would like to. I need the help of my constituents against this land grabber. I did this project for you and not for myself. Please stand up and help me defend what is rightfully yours,” Osmeña told Cebu Daily News in a text message sent from Houston, Texas. Officials of Talisay City, claim that a portion of the SRP rightfully belongs to Talisay as the Cebu City reclamation project has encroached in water and land boundaries of Talisay as shown in the Municipality Boundary Monument (MBM) with numbers 27, 28, 29, and 30. Congressman Gullas, who was the first city mayor of Talisay, warned that he would file a case against the Cebu City government if a property that is part of the 53-hectare lot the Talisay City has been claiming will be sold by Cebu City government. Gullas said he appreciated Cebu City government's gesture of not offering the contested property to investors as it is “a way of acknowledging the rightful ownership of Talisay” of the area. The area, however, which Talisay is claiming is known as Pond F (the sea front property on the right side facing the sea) and a portion of Pond B (across Pond A) is the same area that is being eyed by Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) as part of their future development. Osmeña, before he left for the US for treatment of a urinary bladder cancer on Oct. 8, warned those who planned to delay the negotiations of the city with the investors especially FLI, which planned to develop an P80-billion property under the venture. He said the city will not just face those who will be filing a suit against the city but the city will also file a criminal case against those people for “economic sabotage.” Cebu City administrator Francisco Fernandez said yesterday that he was not certain if the issues about the titling of the SRP property and the issue on ownership will affect negotiations with FLI and other investors. Talisay City Council however passed an ordinance as advised by Gullas to respect interested investors of the SRP. Gullas said this is to express the Talisay City government's “good faith with the Cebu City government.” The ordinance was made to make sure that the Cebu City government would not blame the Talisay City government as being the cause of its not paying its debts acquired from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. Gullas said that they will not be harassing the investors of the SRP and allow the Cebu City government to sell the properties, including those they claimed “at their own risk”. Anticipating to make good Gullas threat to file a case once the property being claimed by Talisay City will be sold, the ordinance stated that once the court would decide that Talisay City is the rightful owner of the property being sold then the Talisay city government will “not waive its right for ownership.” Most of the SRP lots, about 210 hectares, are titled under the Cebu City government's name which was then contested by the officials of the city of Talisay. /Reporter Marian Z. Codilla