EVEN if they wanted to pay the Lopez family with the P3.8-million balance for the purchase of the 70,000-square meter lot for the Solid Waste Disposal facility in Barangay Felisa, we cannot do so because our hands were tied by the Commission on Audit when it disallowed a portion of the P20 million it paid in advance to the lot owners.
The pronouncement was made by Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Evelio Leonardia, former city mayor, who confirmed that the city still owes the Lopez family P3.8 million.
He recalled that the first offer of the Lopezes was as much as P600 per square meter.
But through negotiation, this was subjected to the assessment by the Appraisal Committee which pointed out in its report that the tax valuation in that area was lower compared to the cities of Bago, Talisay, Silay and even Kabankalan.
There are lot properties in those cities that cost higher but are far from the Poblacion, the assessment indicated.
The zonal valuation at Felisa was something like P400. Then the Appraisal Committee appraised P360. But it was negotiated at P340 per square meter and the total cost for the seven hectare property was P23.8 million, Leonardia said.
because the available money that time was only P20 million, the city paid them a partial of P20 million and the balance will be paid within a year, he explained.
When the payment was done, the COA came into the picture and told them that the area for sanitary landfill should not be bought at P23.8 million, but instead P18 million, he further said.
"Even if we wanted to pay, but because of the COA position, our hands were already tied. For the record, I believe that the right amount was P23.8 million. But the other side of it, it's COA which said that it should be lower than P23.8 million,” Leonardia justified.
He added: “That matter was appealed to before COA Region and we explained that the right amount was P23.8 million. And I hope COA will rule favorably on our side and reverse their position on the matter."
Probably, said the former mayor, adding that “we can sit down and work things out. In fairness to the Lopez family, I hope they can get the amount that was agreed originally and how I wish COA would reconsider its position.
On the other hand, the city also bought the road lots because of a bad experience in the past that they blocked the access road in the old dumpsite at Purok Tonggoy, Brgy. Mandalagan. But the Lopez family offered temporarily the use of their property in Brgy. Felisa, Leonardia said, adding that based on the study of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, whose experts came to the city, “Bacolod City had chosen a better place.”
That was a right place for the sanitary landfill and the only area that was issued with an environmental compliance certificate.
"I dare them to transfer it and we will know if DENR will allow them to put it anywhere because without the ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate), they cannot locate a sanitary landfill especially now that DENR is stricter in their laws and policy. The Felisa area is the only place to go," the solon said.
There is still a pending motion for reconsideration filed by his administration to ask COA to reconsider its position, Leonardia clarified.
