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BY MAE SINGUAY
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February 20, 2018
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BACOLOD City – Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Party-list) questioned what to him appeared to be a hasty approval of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp.’s (Bredco) contract extension to manage port operations at the city government-owned 5-hectare lot.
He called it “premature.”
Some members of the city council led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, however, dismissed the congressman’s observation as having no basis “in fact and law.”
Paduano wondered why the city council “hurried” to approve Bredco’s bid to renew its contract with the city government even if the 1995 Comprehensive Revised Reclamation Agreement (CRRA) will still expire in 2020.
“They should remember that the same top leadership pushed to take over the management of the port in 2005 by way of an ordinance, citing a long list of violations allegedly committed by Bredco,” he said.
In a statement, Familiaran and councilors Caesar Distrito, Dindo Ramos, Em Ang, Cindy Rojas, Elmer Sy, and Bartolome Orola said the contract extension was based on the provisions of the 1995 CRRA.
“The contract is considered as a law between the parties, which both are required to obey in good faith. If we will disregard it, we are not only civilly liable but at the same time criminally liable,” they stressed.
Last week, the city council granted Mayor Evelio Leonardia the authority to sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) extending Bredco’s port operation and management.
Under the MOA, Bredco must give the city government an annual P6-million compensation for its port operation and management.
Paduano recalled that 12 years ago, the city council led by then councilor Al Victor Espino pushed to increase Bredco’s annual port fee from P800,000 to P17.5 million.
“How come they were already leaping on the P6 million proposed by no less than the SP committee on laws and ordinances chairman Distrito, the very person who presided during the conduct of the committee hearing?” asked Paduano./PN
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