VICE Mayor Alvin Fernandez, who has been vigorously questioning the controversial P84-million tourism building project on Magsaysay Park in Dagupan City, has found another equally vocal ally in Councilor Alex de Venecia.

In a privilege speech before the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Monday, De Venecia called on his colleagues who voted ‘yes’ to the conversion of the Magsaysay Park into a commercial complex “to study, consult with experts then re-consider their stand” on the matter.

“To clear all doubts (about the project), my unsolicited advice is to have it re-bided to comply with all the legal, financial, technical aspects,” said de Venecia during the first session of the SP for the year after failing to muster a quorum on January 9.

Like Fernandez, De Venecia also believes it is not too late to question the approved resolution and warned that he has received reports that some taxpayers are bent on filing a case against city officials in connection with the public bidding that was conducted.

There were eight councilors who voted for the approval of the resolution while three (Councilors Farah Decano, Michael Fernandez and Jose Netu Tamayo) voted no.

De Venecia clarified that he supports any project that will enhance the progress of Dagupan as long as rules and regulations are followed and that it will not be grossly advantageous to the proponents nor to the city government.

When the SP passed the resolution giving authority to Mayor Benjamin Lim to sign a contract with the supposed winning bidder, Metrostate Realty Corporation, De Venecia was absent, explaining that he received the notice calling for the special session too late, which is in violation of existing SP rules.

He also charged that Councilor Teofilo Guadiz III made a 180-degree turn-around in his position endorsing the city mayor’s position after questioning the draft ordinance and even hosted a luncheon conference at Star Plaza Hotel where he distributed some questions to his colleagues that he felt should be asked during the regular session held later that day.

Saying a contract that is “ab initio” (void) cannot be legally cured, De Venecia revealed that he is still in the dark as to the real status of the former Bugnay market even as he also asked if a national park can be converted into a commercial complex, like what has been proposed for Magsaysay Park.

QUESTIONS

De Venecia re-echoed the vice mayor’s questions among these, if there was any resolution coming from the Sanggunian authorizing the mayor to conduct such bidding/awarding as per the local Government Code, if there was a public consultation conducted not only in Barangay 1 where the property is located but also in the neighboring barangay as the project to be put up is a permanent structure that costs P84 million.

He also charged that the City Engineering Office was apparently not consulted and there was no approved resolution authorizing the mayor to create a Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC), and went to question the composition of the SBAC, who selected them and wondered if they have technical/legal/financial qualifications.

He also wondered why the chief executive officers of all the bidders were not invited to shed light on the project to the SP members.

De Venecia also asked if there was any clearance issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and whether the city had complied with the Build-Operate-Transfer law, the scheme under which the project will be carried out.

However, after delivering his privilege speech, De Venecia opted — as a matter of privilege — not to answer any question from his colleagues.—LM

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