After rejection of bid: City administrator tells province not to try again

CEBU – Cebu City administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez yesterday discouraged the officials of the Province of Cebu from filing a motion for reconsideration after their intention to participate in the bidding of lots at the South Road Properties was rejected.

“Duna sila’y pito ka adlaw pag-file og motion for reconsideration gikan sa pagkadawat nila sa kopya sa decision. Apan maayo na lang tingali nga dili na lang,” Fernandez said in an interview over radio station dyLA yesterday.

Capitol consultant for information Rory John Sepulveda said they will submit a motion for reconsideration to the Joint Venture Selection Committee before the seven-day period lapses.

Sepulveda said if their motion for reconsideration will just be rejected again by the selection committee, they may no longer seek another legal remedy, “Basin kon pasanginlan lang unya kami nga obstructionists sa proyekto sa dakbayan.”

Fernandez explained that one of the reasons why the Province of Cebu was rejected by the JVSC is that the Provincial Government is not eligible to challenge the unsolicited proposal of Filinvest Land Inc.

The city administrator, who heads the JVSC, said the province of Cebu is not a private entity and is therefore not covered by City Ordinance 2154.

The ordinance prescribes the guidelines for entering into joint venture agreements with private entities. It was created before the Province of Cebu signified its intention to participate in the bidding.

Sepulveda said the province wants to offer a much better proposal than what Filinvest Land Inc. has offered.

FLI wishes to buy 10 hectares of land for P1.5 billion and develop another 40 hectares where the city could get a share of 10 per cent out of its gross revenue. —Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)