Still no suit filed by MetroState
We are waiting.
This was the response of City Legal Officer George Mejia to queries if the city government has already been charged by MetroState Realty Corporation as a result of the order to stop the latter’s P84 million tourism-commercial project at the former Magsaysay Market.
Mejia said the city is ready to answer the charges if and when they come.
“But the most important thing is that the city government is already in possession of the premises,” said Mejia, referring to the lot where MetroState is constructing the project.
The property has already been fenced and a “no trespassing” warning sign has been posted by the city government.
Mejia told newsmen that based on the report he received from City Engineer Virginia Rosario, there are no more workers at the site to date.
Last week, there were still workers at the site but City Administrator Alvin Fernandez had it verified and was told by Rosario that the workers who were left were just rust-proofing the steel bars, preparatory to leaving, at the instruction of the management.
Fernandez said according to the report of Rosario, the workers were asked to apply rust-proofing to prevent early corrosion.
The lot, consisting of 3,925 square meters, was earlier leased by then Mayor Benjamin Lim to MetroState in a contract dated January 26, 2007 executed with Mary Karen Monzon, president of MetroState), but whose authority has been the subject of a controversy in the city council.
The contract stipulates that the project proponent, MetroState, shall pay P1,000,000 to the city government as annual rental for the use of the premises with an escalation every two years based on a 7% rate of prevailing inflation rate, payable within the last month of each year.
The contract will be in effect for 25 years to commence from the date of the completion of the structure.
Mejia earlier emphasized that MetroState was ordered to stop work not due to question of legality of the project but for the company’s failure to secure a building permit consistent with the provision of the Building Code of the Philippines.
He said MetroState should seek relief from the court if it seeks to counter the stop order of the city government. —LM
Complainant vs. Lim, Baraan,
six others is not in cityWHERE is Edward Santos, Jr.?
A search by The PUNCH on the Dagupeño who filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against former Mayor Benjamin Lim and company turned futile.
Santos was nowhere to be found at No. 85 Bonuan Boquig in Dagupan City, the address indicated in his complaint, but the owner of the place does not seem to know him.
The house in that address is located within a compound adjacent another one, both of which are owned by the Melendez family.
Santos filed the complaint before the Ombudsman on March 14, 2007, exactly two months before the election.
His permanent residence appears to be in Metro Manila since Santos’ declared community tax certificate was issued in Manila, and the complaint was also notarized by a Notary Public from Pasay City.
The other respondents in the case are former City Administrator Rafael Baraan, now Provincial Administrator of Pangasinan, Marcelo Prado, Roy Laforteza, Emmanuel Palaganas, Mark Joseph Siapno and Alexander Siapno.
While there are doubts as to Santos whereabouts and true identity, the office of the Ombudsman, however, is mandated to investigate all complaints filed including those by anonymous persons.—LM
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
