DRESSED in a black “Zorro” attire during today’s conference with the press, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, whom Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena called “Tandang Zorra,” challenged Cebu City Hall to disclose the real deal about the Filinvest proposal for the South Road Properties (SRP).

Also, she said it’s an honor to be placed on the same league as Tandang Sora, who is Melchora Aquino, a famous heroine in Philippine history and is considered as the Mother of Katipunan. Tandang Sora helped all who approached her for help, giving the soldiers who fled to the forests of Balintawak food, rest and medical help in her little store in Balintawak.

"This Tandang Zorra will do the same. I will not say I’m a heroine but this Tandang Zorra might save Cebu from such a secret deal", said the governor, referring to the unsolicited offer from Filinvest.

Reacting to the Capitol’s offer to invest in the SRP, the Cebu City mayor had said that the City Government will be wary of what could be devious schemes by “Tandang Zorra” or old Zorra. He already previously referred to the governor as Zorra.

"Well, Tomas is no spring chicken himself and in the light of recent events, from what i know, wa naman gani spring, chicken nalang. This Tandang Zorra would like to ask the chicken what’s the real deal about the Filinvest deal? Why are you so afraid of the Tandang Zorra offer? Come on chicken, are you chicken?"asked Gov. Garcia, holding a ceramic figure of a rooster.

"Sometimes, dili kinahanglan ang daghang sulti, a picture says a thousands words. Ayaw nanang Swiss challenge or Macau challenge, it’s the Tandang Zorra challenge," said the governor as she reiterated that the Capitol is serious in its intention to challenge the offer of Filinvest.

Gov. Garcia explained that with Osmeñas move blocking all development of province owned lots in the city, the Capitol will invest at the SRP to help the debt-ridden city.

The governor asked Cebu City officials to provide them with a guide who will show them around the 10-hectare lot at the SRP, which is the subject of outright sale from Filinvest.

Garcia will drop by SRP tomorrow on her way to the Suroy Suroy Southern Heritage Trail together with the members of the Board of Appraisals to inspect the lot and appraise it if indeed it is worth P2 billion pesos.

The governor also expressed that the sale of the said lot should be subject to public bidding.

Earlier, Representative Pablo John Garcia challenged the city to come clean on whether a challenger would have to pay Filinvest for development costs should the latter lose in the Swiss challenge.

"This represented a 180-degree change of heart on the part of the Osmeña, who had in a previous proposal involving the Carmen Bulk Water project, objected to any scheme where the loser in the Swiss challenege would have to pay development costs," said Representative Garcia in a press statement.

On the other hand, Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, Capitol Consultant on Information and Revenue Generation, asked why the purchase of the said lot was included in the joint venture with Filinvest, as reported in the papers.

Sepulveda said that under the NEDA guidelines, joint venture is a contractual arrangement whereby a private sector entity or a group of private sector entity or one man and a government entity or a group of government entity contribute money capital primitive asset.

"Ang usa  outright sale (10 hectares), ang usa  joint venture (another 40 hectares). Interesado mi sa duha,” said Sepulveda, who was thankful for City Administrator Bimbo Fernandez for providing Capitol a copy of the Joint Venture Ordinance of the city.

Sepulveda also said that as of now, they will deal directly with Fernandez as they are in quandary as to who to deal with in the city government, considering the different statements coming from different officials.

"Naglibog nami og maayo, kay maskin sila dili magkasinabot," said the lawyer.