Bank assures clients of continued service amid closure threat

CEBU CITY—One of the country’s biggest banks issued a statement apologizing for any “inconvenience” caused by a threat made by Mayor Tomas Osmeña to close the banks’ branches in the city allegedly for lack of permits.

In a statement, BDO Unibank said the threat from the mayor is a localized issue that has no effect on its operations as a whole.

“We have made the necessary arrangements for the clients to be serviced in alternative locations,” the BDO statement read.

Osmeña earlier hinted at the possible closure of 26 BDO branches in the city for alleged lack of business permits.

BDO, however, said it had complied with the requirements of business permits, but the city government refused to receive payments for taxes and other fees and issue the permits.

Osmeña had accused a branch of the bank of declaring a lower gross income in 2016.