Greg: Governor's P7.5 million Carmen lot purchase unauthorized

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. yesterday questioned the Provincial Government’s purchase of a lot in Carmen town, saying that Gov. Garcia’s signing of the contract did not have an authority from the Provincial Board (PB).

 The P7.5-million property is planned to be the site of the Province’s Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility.

“The governor signed the contract tungod sa iyahang abuso murag ang tan-aw nila nga sila nalang ang magbuot dinhi sa tanan. She signed the contract, divide the property without approval from the provincial board, dili kana mahimo sa usa ka gobernador. It clearly shows nga abusado ra gyud kaayo sila,” said the vice governor.

For the past months, Sanchez has been raising several issues against the governor.

In yesterday’s press conference, however, Sanchez refused to give reporters copies of documents to support his claim.

“Muhatag ko ninyo og kopya human sa tubag sa Office of the Governor,” Sanchez told reporters. (I’ll furnish you copies when the Office of the Governor has answered this issue.)

In a separate interview with reporters, Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda advised Sanchez to do a research first before opening his mouth.

In fact, Sepulveda said, Sanchez was the one who presided over the session which saw the PB authorizing Gov. Garcia to enter into the transactions for the purchase of lot in Barangay Dawis Sur in Carmen town owned by Ramon Durano Jr., the newly elected Danao City mayor.

Sanchez presided the regular session last March 19, 2007 when the PB passed the resolution, he added.

Sepulveda cited the PB resolution amending that of 5321-2006, authorizing Gov. Garcia to “execute and sign in behalf of the Province of Cebu, the agreement and deed of absolute sale involving six adjoining parcels of land located at Carmen, Cebu purchased by the Province of Cebu from Ramon D. Durano Jr., as site of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility.”

Based on the resolution approved by the PB and signed by Sanchez himself, the lot purchase complied with all the requirements.

“Wala gyud nalapas ang gobernador kay may pagtugot man siya sa provincial board. Labaw pa, 2007 pa na nga transactions, may audit report unta ang Commission on Audit,” Sepulveda added. (The governor had authority from the PB. Besides, that transaction was in 2007 yet so the Commission on Audit would have already made a report.)

Sepulveda admitted that although the Province purchased the lot in 2007, until now the Capitol is still conducting further study for its use.

The Capitol plans to establish in Carmen a common Solid Waste Management Facility for the use of several towns in northern Cebu. This is because each town could not afford by themselves to put up such a facility to comply with Republic Act No. 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.”

Section 37 of RA 9003 directs local government units to close their open dumpsites and establish a sanitary landfill.

The Province is seeking to assist towns and cities to comply with the law. Sometime in 2006, the Province of Cebu entered into a memorandum of agreement with some local government units in northern Cebu, for it to construct and establish an Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility. — THE FREEMAN