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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Lawyers claim Carmen vendors question scheme
By Danilo V. Adorador, III
Correspondent
AFTER the Cogon Market, another group of vendors are set to question yet again the legality of the Build-Operate and Transfer (BOT) scheme amid disclosure from an expert that political factors can be a great risk on projects under this system.
Opposition lawyer Antonio Soriano said yesterday that Carmen Market vendors will seek the nullification of the BOT contract under which the public market is under contract.
"Daghan na ang nagpalista, we will file the case immediately after all is set," Attorney Soriano told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
The same set of lawyers in the Cogon Market case will represent the Carmen Market vendors, Soriano said. Lawyers Frederico Gapuz, Sammy Aguilar, Joy Elumba and Butch Bagabuyo are expected to appear on the plaintiffs' counsels list.
But Soriano said their group is not only banking on the courts to "punish Dongkoy" (Mayor Vicente Emano) for supposed violations in the BOT contracts.
"We are confident nga wala na siya sa 2007, so these activities that we believe are illegal will be exposed by that time he can no longer influence the courts or any agencies," Soriano said without elaborating.
But Soriano hinted that BOT contracts under Mayor Emano would be in jeopardy once the local leadership changes.
"We don't believe he will win in 2007, whether he runs for barangay captain or vice-mayor," Soriano added.
Fears of BOT projects being delayed or cancelled due to political factors were validated yesterday by Luisito Ucab, office-in-charge of the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) BOT Center in Manila.
Mr. Ucab told the City Council that an administration change in the city will have a potential impact on the BOT projects.
"Even if the contract is aboveboard, any member of the political sector or of the community who does not like the BOT can always spot loopholes and in it," Ucab said.
But Mayor Vicente Emano during the Cogon Market opening attributed the vendors' hostility against him to the manipulations of the opposition lawyers.
He also expressed regrets that some vendors "allow themselves to be used by politics despite the protection I am giving them."
With the BOT contracts entered into by the city hanging on the political thread, Mayor Emano said he would "definitely" run. He did not say what post he will take once his term expires in 2007 but reports have been circulating that the mayor will opt either as Cagayan de Oro vice mayor or.
Emano dismissed speculations that he will challenge Governor Oscar Moreno for the Misamis Oriental gubernatorial position in the next elections.
(July 13, 2005 issue)
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