MEMBERS of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) held a hearing on Thursday, March 12, 2026, to review the proposed P211.56-million compromise agreement between the Province and Apo Land and Quarry Corp. (ALQC), which would reduce a P1.218-billion tax assessment.
Just a day after Gov. Pamela Baricuatro called him a “hypocrite,” Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco urged the focus to remain on institutional processes, not personalities.
“This is not about personalities; this is about processes and institutions working,” Soco said, adding that Baricuatro “seems to be so emotionally charged over this issue.”
During a press conference on Wednesday, March 11, Baricuatro fumed over Soco’s criticism of the proposed compromise settlement between the Provincial Government and ALQC, which would reduce the Province’s tax claim against ALQC from about P1.2 billion to P211 million.
“I don’t know what he’s trying to do. You want to go to war? Because I’m prepared for war, Glenn Soco!” said Baricuatro.
Soco clarified that his previous authorship of a compromise resolution involving Dolomite Mining Corp. only authorized negotiations and did not set a settlement amount, unlike the ALQC proposal.
He warned it would be premature to conclude that the Provincial Government had lost the case, citing PB Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, who said declaring defeat could weaken the province’s position.
Soco had raised concerns that PB members were not consulted before the compromise agreement was presented.
“We were never involved. We were never even consulted,” he said, warning that accepting the proposal without scrutiny could weaken the Province’s tax-collection stance.
“Each case stands on its own merit. You cannot use previous agreements to justify the proposed P211-million settlement,” said Soco.
“If we just accept the P211 million outright, it would appear that there is no other way except to accept a discount of more than P1 billion,” he added.
Review process
Soco emphasized that the review was a collegial decision of the 20-member PB, and as presiding officer, he would vote only in case of a tie.
“The board is open-minded about everything. That’s why we will review it,” he said, explaining that the PB would study the proposal through its committees on laws and ordinances and ways and means.
Despite tensions, Soco said he remains committed to working with the governor.
“I will continue to work with the governor and the rest of the Cebu Provincial Government for whatever is best for the people of Cebu,” he said.
The PB’s committees on laws and regulations and ways and means held a joint hearing, led by PB Board Members Mike Villamor and Nelson Mondigo, along with other PB members, Provincial Legal Officer Guiller Ceniza, and Provincial Treasurer Roy
Salubre.
According to Soco’s spokesperson Georgia Herrera Klepp, PB Board Member Raymond Calderon moved to livestream the committee hearing, but a representative from the Office of the Governor advised against it due to the pending case involving ALQC.
Baricuatro had earlier disclosed that the Provincial Government is considering settling the P1.218-billion tax assessment against ALQC for P211.56 million, but Soco stressed the PB must first determine whether a compromise is appropriate before discussing the amount.
“This is not about war. This is about protecting the interests of the Cebuano people,” Soco said. / CDF