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Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Mayor denies P600M recla deal
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE decision of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to "renegotiate" the comprehensive revised reclamation agreement (CRRA) with Bredco has spurred text messages about his cutting a deal with Bredco president Simplicio Palanca.
The alleged deal - a payoff of P600 million or the death of the petition to recall him as mayor.
Leonardia, in an interview Monday night, denied the allegations against him.
The text messages, sent from 0917-373-0576, were:
* "Qualified negotiation license cooperator/agent with P6 million professional fee including P1 million for legal adviser; P200,000 each to the legislator conspirator. The threat of takeover was meant to fulfill the P2.5 million monthly up to December and BRING BACK BING P300,000 monthly payola in 2006."
* "Renegotiation is exchange deal with Palanca P600 million or no recall."
* "Renegotiation is the process that will satisfy mayor needs when Bredco control what BING wants. More wealth/money. He uses the strategy called salami, feiting, deadline tactics and good guy/bad buy."
The mayor dismissed the text messages as "hogwash" saying it was meant to demean his person.
"(They're) not worth to be given attention. They're just another handicraft of the opposition and another black propaganda against me," he said in an interview Monday night.
Palanca is president of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco), a developer of the Bacolod port.
This is not the first time Leonardia is the subject of what he called "irresponsible" text messages.
Last month, a text message from an unknown sender was spread to mediamen in the
city, saying that the mayor had a heart attack while he was in Manila.
Leonardia dared anybody behind this "text brigade" against him to come out in the open and face him.
"I am willing to face anybody who wanted to be critical of my administration. But let him come out," he said.
"I never made a deal with somebody or with Atty. Palanca. The P600 million or no-recall deal is trash information. I decided for the renegotiation because it was what my conscience dictated," Leonardia said.
He added, "That decision was for the best interest of Bacolod and not for me. Had I decided on a takeover, a court battle would follow and the City would end up a loser."
Good signal
Leonardia said the recommendation from the business sector not to push the takeover was a "good signal" for his decision.
"I need to follow what the businessmen want because they know what is good for the city's economy," he said.
Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) president Roberto Montelibano said a port takeover would lead to litigation and the court issuing an order suspending operations of the port.
"If that would happen, then several shipping lines would be forced to halt operations in Bacolod," he said.
A renegotiation would open opportunities such as a win-win solution to the impasse, he said.
Montelibano also suggested to city officials to be kind to Palanca and not be "hypocrites" in dealing with the Bredco issue.
"We should thank the old man who created land for us," he said.
Leonardia asked Councilor Lyndon Caña and CRRA "crusader" to respect his decision.
He said, "It was the City Council that asked me to decide on the CRRA issue. And because I've decided, then Caña and the rest of the members of the Third Force should honor my decision."
Caña is known to be one of Leonardia's allies at the City council but also the most vocal councilor on the issue of the reclamation agreement review.
With the mayor's renegotiation decision, Caña said he no longer is interested to join the Executive-Legislative Committee to handle the renegotiation.
Caña said, "I would rather be a watchdog on the renegotiation to ensure that the City won't be shortchanged again."
The councilor noted that the City had given Bredco many chances. He said when Palanca admitted to the violations committed by Bredco in the CRRA, Leonardia should have opted for a takeover to show the City's "position of strength."
A renegotiation would allow the City and Bredco to amend the CRRA.
But Leonardia said that when he decides on matters concerning the City, "I always think that Bacolod must get what it can."
He said he is willing to meet with Palanca.
"If this is the most practical way to do to solve the issue, then I am willing to do that, not for myself but for the city," he said.
(October 18, 2005 issue)
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