The issue on the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit System project has been escalated anew as Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama filed an administrative complaint against Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia following the governor’s issuance of a cease and desist order against the project, citing heritage concern.

The complaint was filed before the Office of the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as Rama claimed that the Cebu governor violated the principles of abuse of authority, oppression and grave misconduct.

The mayor also alleged that Garcia has no jurisdiction to interfere with the affairs of Cebu City as a Highly Urbanized City, which Cebu City operates independently from the province.

Asked for a reaction, the governor refused to comment on the matter.

To recall, Garcia issued Memorandum 16-2024 last 27 February 2024 directing Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Ltd. to cease civil works on province-owned lots along Osmeña Boulevard.

The memorandum cited that the ongoing construction encroached upon buffer zones of the Cebu Provincial Capitol and Fuente Osmena Circle.

Rama’s complaint was dated 20 March 2024 and cited that the CBRT is a national government initiative aimed at providing infrastructure to the commuting public.

It also disclosed that on 13 October 2023, the allocated budget for the CBRT project is pegged at P28.78 billion, intended to cover 76 stops throughout Cebu, spanning the cities of Cebu and Talisay.

The complaint highlighted that the public funds already spent on the project would only go to waste if CBRT remained unfinished.

Garcia was criticized in the complaint as “unwarranted” the implementation of quasi-judicial powers and deprivation of the contractor’s property rights without due process.

It added that the governor went as far as to involve police elements when she ordered the Philippine National Police to monitor the strict implementation of her issued memorandum.

Rama’s complaint also said that Garcia’s act of issuing the memorandum is considered improper conduct.

“It is simply unthinkable for Governor Garcia to advance the afterthought that the CBRT appears to be located within the buffer zones without putting due regard on the property rights vested to the contractor. This offends Hunan’s rights to due process,” according to the complaint.