Negrense businessmen told: Don't blame COA for Ayala pullout

THIRD District Board Member Patrick Lacson said on Thursday the business sector should not blame Commission on Audit’s (COA) delayed decision behind the withdrawal by Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) of its proposed P6-billion investment in the Capitol's 7.7-hectare prime property.

Lacson said the main issue on the pull out of Ayala is not the delayed decision of the COA because there is also a pending case in court pertaining to the land deal of the Provincial Government and Ayala, filed by SM Prime Holdings Inc (SMPHI).

Lacson refers to the case filed by SMPHI at the Regional Trial Court here in Bacolod against the members of the provincial Bids and Disposal of Government Assets Committee based on SMPHI's assertion that it won in the July 7, 2011 bidding where they offered the highest bid for the purchase and lease of the 7.7-hectare properties of the Provincial Government.

Both Ayala and SM are welcome in the province, Lacson said.

"Ayala has an existing development in my district and SM as well here in Bacolod. I urge the public not to react in such a way that could ‘turn off’ many other potential investors by acting childishly on the wrong issue. On the SM-Ayala issue, I encourage Negrenses to just focus on the real issue and that is whether the second bidding was a failure or not," Lacson said.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez said that he will ensure transparency in all government projects in the future.

He also revealed that, until this time, his office and the Provincial Board has not yet received the copy of ALI letter regarding its withdrawal from the project.