By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — Because AVM Bernardo Engineering violated its contract with the city government here, Mayor Monico Puentevella will not release the slaughterhouse operator’s business permit.
In fact, Puentevella yesterday said the city government will terminate the memorandum of agreement it currently has with AVM.
He has previously announced that the city will take over anytime the operation of the slaughterhouse in Barangay Handumanan here.
“I have two options: the city will operate it or I will look for another contractor to handle the operation,” he had said.
But yesterday Puentevella seemed to have made up his mind.
This came in light of AVM’s June 20, 2014 letter requesting Puentevella to release already its business permit, for which it paid P109,937.50.
The slaughterhouse operator said it has complied with all the requirements.
It has completed the processing by following the proper procedure and paid for the business permit, its counsel, Marvin Tañada, said.
AVM failed to complete the facilities within the period allowed by the agreement; to fully supply machineries and equipment embodied in organizational; and to submit its annual report and evaluation, according to City Legal Office.
Gloridee Cometa, AVM’s plant manager, said they have already made up for the contract violations they allegedly committed.
Tañada said the mayor has no reason to hold on to AVM’s business permit; the slaughterhouse operator did not violate any law or ordinance.
Under then Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the city government here signed with AVM on February 7, 2007 a memorandum of agreement for the “completion and operation of the Bacolod City slaughterhouse.”
In the agreement, the city government allows AVM Bernardo to complete the construction and operate the facility for 20 years under the build-operate-transfer scheme.
AVM is owned by Engr. Antonio Valeriano M. Bernardo./PN
