Saturday, March 03, 2007 Dads deem condo owner 'persona non grata' By Dante M. Fabian
ANGELES CITY -- The members of the City Council initiated on Friday a resolution declaring as persona non grata a part owner of the Pacific Breeze Condominium in the Fields Avenue tourism zone in Barangay Balibago.
The councilors moved the resolution to declare Rosella Breckenridge, a shareholder of the Ridge Mhills Corporation, persona non grata for allegedly disrespecting the members with unsavory remarks during a hearing presided by Councilor Efren dela Cruz.
The resolution, together with separate libel charges stemmed from the conflict between the Rovimar Group and the Pacific Breeze owners Ridge Mhills Corporation, charging each other before the city council of defects in the construction of each other's building thereby prompting the City Council to investigate violations of the building and zoning laws.
Vice Mayor Ricardo M. Zalamea said on Friday that the council has started moves to rebuke the owner of the Pacific Breeze after approving a proposal to declare the owners persona non grata.
Zalamea said Councilor Willie Rivera, who admitted that he is the counsel of Ridge Mhills Corporation, offered to inhibit himself from the voting on the persona non grata resolution to be discussed further in the council session next week.
According to Zalamea, Breckenridge will be invited to the session to give her the opportunity to defend herself against the allegations.
Lawyer Augusto Panlilio, counsel for the Rovimar Group had asked Rivera to inhibit himself from the investigations out of delicadeza (propriety) and to avoid a conflict of interest in performing his duties as a councilor and at the same time lawyering for one of the parties investigated by the council.
The libel charges and the resolution came as the councilors assailed disclosures by Breckenridge purportedly quoting a foreigner who worked for Rovimar, that their competitor allegedly bragged and implied that "he has nine out of 10 members of the council" in his control.
Accordingly, the Rovimar investor denied the allegations of Breckenridge saying that he does not know any of the councilors during the investigation conducted by dela Cruz, blue ribbon committee chairman last Monday.
In a report submitted by Councilor Jay Sangil, chairman of engineering and public works, it was gleaned that on Jan. 5, 2007, the Office of the City Council received a communication from a certain Ron Blim, vice president of Phil Rovimar Property Corp. addressed to Councilor Sangil over their concern on the building at lots 21 and 22 and lots 18, 19 and 20 on Vian and Rovimar Streets, Balibago, Angeles City.
Though the letter is addressed to Sangil, the council in session had the matter included in the agenda for the next regular session.
