By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Believing they were being “bullied” by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) members in Negros Occidental plan to file a countersuit against the property developer.
SM earlier filed a nullification case against the provincial government and Ayala Land, Inc., naming all SP members as among the respondents.
“We are still awaiting additional documentation from the Provincial Legal Office and an authorization from the SP,” SP member Alain Gatuslao said.
Gatuslao, after Wednesday’s briefing with fellow Board members, said they were “looking into damages for malicious prosecution for the civil case.”
“I will study if we could also file criminal charges against SM,” he stressed.
Gatuslao said they will allot two weeks for the acquisition of SP authority and another two weeks for the filing of the case.
“[We] provincial government officials feel that we are being pressured, bullied by SM,” the laws and ordinances committee chair said.
He said the provincial government is losing money due to the delays in the Ayala property development.
As regards the property development deal with Ayala, Gatuslao said the capitol is basing all its actions on “the favorable action of the Commission on Audit.”
He said Ayala could already develop the property it has leased.
SM earlier filed a case to nullify the deed of conditional sale and contract of lease between the capitol and Ayala involving a 7.7-hectare provincial government property./PN
