Tug-of-war looms over 'Malacañang sa Sugbo'

A tug-of-war looms between the Cebu City government and the Bureau of Customs over former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s official residence in Cebu, called the "Malacañang sa Sugbo." Radio dzBB’s Cebu affiliate reported Thursday that Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama plans to write President Benigno Aquino III not to allow the Bureau of Customs to reclaim the Malacañang sa Sugbo. The mayor said he wants the former President’s Cebu official residence to be converted into a museum with memorabilia of the past administration. Earlier, the BOC said it was planning to take back the property on which the Malacañang sa Sugbo was constructed. The property had belonged to the BOC. At present, the BOC rents the property of the Cebu Port Authority for P50,000 a month. Mrs. Arroyo established the Malacañang sa Sugbo in 2004. Customs officials expressed plans to reclaim the Malacañang sa Sugbo after President Benigno Simeon Aquino III said he was not interested in using it as his official residence while in Cebu. — VVP, GMANews.TV