To determine legality of lot purchase: Capitol coop demands special assembly

TAGBILARAN CITY , Philippines  — Members of the Bohol Provincial Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative has formally demanded for a special general assembly to "extinguish" the allegedly unauthorized acquisition of parcel of lot and the plan for a building construction.

The signature campaign for the two-page petition calling for the immediate general assembly, which has been gaining traction among the employee-members, was initiated by Rolando Paloso of the Provincial General Services Office.

Some employees told The FREEMAN the lot purchase was allegedly a sort of a "sweetheart deal," including wild speculations about "commission" received from the sale.

The coop earlier planned to acquire a piece of land owned by Matig-a family at the price of over P3 million, but this did not materialize albeit for still undetermined reasons.

The coop officers instead allegedly diverted the money as downpayment to cause the purchase of a lot, at a price of P6.9 million, owned by the Migrino family along F. Rocha Street in this city. The petitioners alleged that this was done without the imprimatur of the general assembly, and an officer reportedly admitted the lot title is now in the hands of the cooperative.

Another contentious issue of the lot purchase is the plan of securing more than P20 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines to finance the building construction on the newly acquired lot.

According to the officer, who asked not to be named, the loan plan was apparently prompted because the bank would like to transfer its office to the new coop building if ever it is erected, even if the bank itself did not made prior commitment for such move.

Paloso, in an interview, said the special general assembly is necessary to iron out issues affecting the general membership's welfare. Another employee-member (name withheld) said the officers concerned must conduct it to show that they do not have any "hidden agenda."

The petition also called for a fresh election of officers, alleging that the recent polls during the March 26 general assembly were marred by "misdeeds." It further demanded for an explanation of the deductions from the members' dividends, and the scrapping of allegedly "illegal and anti-coop policies."