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[av_heading heading=’DOJ acts on Alvarez plaint vs Floirendo, BuCor’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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Friday, April 7, 2017
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MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has formed a six-member panel to investigate and review the land deal between one of its attached agencies, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and the Tagum Agricultural Development Company Inc. (TADECO), a banana firm owned by the family of Davao Del Norte Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr.
The probe was in response to the request of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who has alleged that the agreement was made “without legal basis and authority” and is “grossly disadvantageous to the government.”
He noted that national government agencies are barred from entering into joint venture agreements (JVAs) with private firms.
In his request for an investigation, Alvarez lamented how the deal was based on a “low lease rate” of around P5,000 per hectare per year, compared to the prevailing annual lease rate of P25,000 per hectare in underdeveloped land in the same area.
In his letter-response to Alvarez, Aguirre said the DOJ would come up with a report on the matter “indicating the appropriate measures and the proper legal remedies to be undertaken in order to protect the interest of the government.”
The JVA was for the lease of 5,308.36 hectares of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Panabo City for its conversion into a banana plantation.
Under the agreement, the BuCor would also receive a windfall from TADECO’s banana exports.
Alvarez has stressed that when the JVA was executed in 2003, “there was as yet no specific rule or regulation authorizing BuCor to execute a JVA with a private entity.”
“This being so, the act of renewing the former JVA was purposely done in manifest bad faith to avoid the proper and lawful bidding process,” Alvarez said.
He has formally lodged a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, accusing Floirendo of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019).
Alvarez pointed out that while serving as representative in 2003, Floirendo was also a stockholder of TADECO, and rejoined its board in 2008.
Alvarez and Floirendo used to be close friends and are key allies of President Duterte. (GMA News)
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