BSL wanted MC Adore for himself
REYNA & ROY TELL ALL
IT used to be FF (Fernandez-Fernandez) vs. BB in Dagupan. Count in RR!
Lawyer Liberato Reyna Jr. and businessman Manny Roy, both former business partners of re-electionist Mayor Benjamin Lim, went on local cable television not only to re-affirm their support to his opponent, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, but to expose how Lim allegedly plotted to acquire the controversial MC Adore property in Dagupan.
The two, irked by reports being peddled by the camp of Lim that they have since decided to support Lim, appeared in the public service program on Kabaleyan Channel 17 of The PUNCH columnist Gonzalo Duque and Freddie Fajardo on Thursday.
Reyna, a former councilor and chairman of the board of University of Luzon, revealed how Lim, when he was still serving as manager of Duty Free Philippines, already indicated his interest in acquiring MC Adore.
Reyna, whose law office was the legal consultant of Lim at that time about 20 years ago, recalled being asked by Lim to go to the Assets Privatization Trust (APT) to inquire how much he can buy MC Adore for.
Lim owns Magic Centerpoint, a stone’s throw from the MC Adore.
Reyna was told by Gonzalo de Jesus, then APT chairman and his former law professor, in the College of Law at the University of the Philippines, that the price of MC Adore was P128 million at that time.
This price was way above the P60 to P70 million Lim was prepared to offer, Reyna said.
De Jesus told Reyna that if Lim was really interested in acquiring the property, he must seek exemption from President Fidel V. Ramos so that a bidding will take place and the property could be offered to the highest bidder.
When Reyna told Lim about this, the reply was: “If I do this, the old man will know I am now richer than him.”
The MC Adore was eventually purchased by Dagupan City during Lim’s first term in 2001 as mayor to avail of the discount. Early this year, it was awarded to a company owned by businessman Antonio Cabangon Chua for P119 million following a questionable bidding.
The sale remains in question given a pending case before the Regional Trial Court questioning Lim’s authority to pursue the sale.
“In fact the main issue there is the legality of the resolution authorizing the mayor to negotiate the sale of the property,” Reyna said.
After the filing, the RTC issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and later an injunction.
“Yung bidding nila hindi na puede yon dahil nag-expire na yong original notice of sale. Dapat may bagong notice of sale. But the problem is itinulog nila without the new notice,” Reyna explained.
FORMER FRIENDS
Reyna admitted that he and Lim were business partners for nearly 30 years until the he distanced himself six months after the mayor assumed his new term in 2010.
He said it was in fact him who convinced Lim to run again in 2010 to challenge Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and even brought him to the national headquarters of the Liberal Party to get the party’s nomination but found that it was already given to Fernandez.
When Lim won, Reyna narrated that the mayor started removing and transfering employees of the city government previously appointed by his father, Liberato C. Reyna Sr. when he was mayor of the city.
Reyna recalled that he interceded for one employee, a certain Mr. Ubando who was asthmatic.
Lim agreed but nevertheless transferred Ubando from the city engineering office to the City Waste Management Division, which aggravated his ailment and eventually caused his death.
After that, Reyna severed his ties with Lim whom he suspected is being manipulated by somebody close to him, especially in the appointment and assignment of personnel at city hall.
“Up to that time and now, wala akong kaisip-isip na babalik pa sa taong yan na kitang-kita mo na ang kanyang pagkatao“, said Reyna.
At the same time, Reyna said his falling out with Lim started when he grabbed the Centromart for himself and his family from his partners that included him, Roy, and Jose Sy.
The partners were surprised to learn they were booted out when the lease to the lot, owned by the Church, on which the Centromarket stands was not renewed.
Instead of the Centromart group, it was Magic owned by Lim that renewed the contract of lease.
“If he can do this to a lawyer and friendss, he can easily do this to other people of Dagupan” said Reyna.
He also accused Lim of humiliating the Reyna family by having his younger brother Ramon suspended as chairman of the Dagupan City Water District.
The mayor reportedly told Ramon Reyna that if he wanted the case to be withdrawn, the condition was for him to bring Liberato Jr. to his side.
Reyna said he refused to appear before Lim to “beg on bended knees.”
Reyna advised Daguopenos that in electing leaders, it’s important to consider the character of the person. He said in his case, he cannot vote for a leader who cheats his business partners and not true to his words.”
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