Thursday, August 21, 2008
Bacolod officials sued on P23M landfill deal
BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, some members of the City Council and other City Hall employees were sued on account of the P23,800,000 landfill accord inked between the city government and a private corporation.
Criminal and administrative cases were against the city officials "for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as well as grave misconduct and acts prejudicial to public interest."
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The complaint was lodged before Assistant City Prosecutor Yvonne Gulmatico-Cioco by Othello Ramos of Grandville II Subdivision and Serafin Oro Jr. of purok Sigay, Barangay 2, both in Bacolod City.
Aside from Leonardia, others included in the suit are Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and councilors Greg Gasataya, Homer Bais, Dindo Ramos, Wilson Gamboa Jr., Al Victor Espino, Napoleon Cordova, Roberto Rojas, Alex Paglomutan, Reynaldo Iledan and Diosdado Valenzuela; OIC City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos, OIC City Engineer Teresita Guadalupe, City Assessor Maphilindo Polvora and Dynasty Agricultural Corporation represented by Ester Lopez.
Filing the case as taxpayers of Bacolod, Ramos and Oro questioned the "much higher price of P23,800,000" in purchasing a 70,000 square-meter landfill site at P340/sq. m. when the city government could have opted for the P12,866,800 site measuring 160,835 sq. m. at P80/sq. m.
On July 9 this year, the City Council of Bacolod ratified the deed of conditional sale, opening an avenue for the city to pay Dynasty Agricultural Corporation P23,800,000.
This was per Resolution 525.
On July 25 also of this year, disbursement voucher CIV #5449 in the amount of P20M was made in favor of Dynasty as partial payment for the purchase of the 70,000-sq. m. landfill.
The remaining balance of P3,800,000, reads the complaint, will be paid after a year as stipulated in the deed.
The complainant further recalled that on April 8, 2008, the Moya-Guanzon & Sons Farms, Incorporated wrote Gasataya on its willingness to sell a landfill of 160,835 sq. m.
The Moya-Guanzon & Sons Farms Incorporated outbid the Dynasty almost seven times lower.
Nonetheless, Leonardia et, al. concentrated their attention to buy the 70,000 sq. m." landfill of Dynasty.
Gatsaya was spearheading the purchase of the landfill offered by the Dynasty.
The complaint further said the officials' decision is "to the damage and prejudice of the city government in the amount of P10,933,200...These public officials, motivated by evident bad faith, manifest impartiality and gross inexcusable negligence, chose a much higher price...giving Dynasty undue advantage, unwarranted benefit and preference." (CGC)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (August 21, 2008 issue)
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