Death threats for mayor on Mahiga Creek dispute; dialogue with Binay offers solution

BOTH Cebu City Hall and the Capitol kept mum on the details of yesterday’s Manila meeting with Vice President Jejomar Binay concerning both the Mahiga Creek settlers and the occupants of province-owned lots under the Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

Mayor Michael Rama and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said they will disclose the details of their meeting with Binay, who chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), in separate press conferences today.

In the meantime, Rama has to deal with death threats for the clearing operations in Mahiga Creek.

A former Cebu City official representing some of the settlers wants a meeting with urban groups who accused his foundation of exploiting them.

Rama said he received two letters from a family residing in the creek behind the Metro Bank-MJ Cuenco Mabolo area.

He said the family threatened to call their Abu Sayaff relatives in Basilan to bomb places in Cebu City.

The two letters were sent on May 12 and 27.

“One text from us and our relatives will visit Cebu City and bomb public transportation, government buildings and other populated areas. Don’t demolish the houses, Mayor, so there won’t be any bombings,” one letter read.

Another letter asked the mayor how much he received from the business establishments near the creek that were not cleared.

Security consultant Romeo Cordova said they are verifying the authenticity of the letters.

Rama said while he isn’t bothered by the letters, he will take the threats seriously.

“That’s my job. If I get scared, no one will trust in government,” the mayor said.

For his part, Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said Garcia, Rama and Binay discussed a multitude of issues on 93-1 lots and the Mahiga Creek settlers.

Elsewhere Francisco Fernandez, president of the Pagtambayayong Foundation Inc., called for a meeting with urban poor groups that accused his foundation of collecting P2 million from them.

The groups claimed the amount was used to buy a house and lot in barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.

Fernandez said he wanted to verify the payment records of the group Nasudnong Katawhang Kabus (Nakkabus) Federation with their foundation’s records.

Fernandez, former Cebu City administrator, said the money was used to buy construction materials. Correspondents Carmel Loise Matus, Fatrick Tabada and Edison delos Angeles