For CICC neglect: Davide, PB sued

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and members of the Provincial Board are facing criminal and administrative charges for allegedly neglecting the Cebu International Convention Center.

Lawyer Ervin Estandarte, a resident of Mandaue City, alleged that Davide and the PB members, as custodians of the property, failed to restore the controversial structure to its original condition.

Estandarte said the officials violated Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Presidential Decree 807 or Civil Service Law, and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officers and Employees.

He filed his complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Estandarte said the officials neglected and abandoned the building willfully after it was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake and typhoon Yolanda that hit the Visayas in 2013.

“There is this clear and present danger that the deterioration will become irreversible to the point of declaring the building as structurally unsafe and not fit for occupation, use and enjoyment of the people of Cebu. It will then be a total wastage and we cannot anymore salvage whatever is left of CICC,” Estandarte’s complaint-affidavit reads.

 Estandarte said if the CICC cannot be restored to its original state, it will cause undue injury to the provincial government, to Mandaue City where the structure stands, and to taxpayers for depriving them of a venue “to meet and enjoy.”

Earlier, Davide said the CICC is not among his priorities and that the province will not spend for it, considering it is a subject of a case pending before the Ombudsman.

 “His pronouncements to me exhibited callous display to the sensitivities of the people of the Province of Cebu he is mandated to serve. To see the vast deterioration and decay of CCIC and still he would insult us to say it is not among his priorities. No matter how he perceived CICC to be the face of corruption, still it is the property of the Province of Cebu that needs to be attended to,” he said.

 He pointed out that despite the Ombudsman allowing repairs to be undertaken, Capitol has not undertaken work.

 “When I have my regular Sunday jog at CICC, I relish those happy times when CICC was alive and vibrant, where all of the LGU’s comprising the province converge to compete and enjoy. Behind this ghostly structure, the roars and laughter of happy golfers around the world still reverberate in my mind when we had the golf awarding ceremonies at CICC. How I wish CICC then is still now,” his complaint reads further.

Won’t spend

Yesterday, Davide said he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint but stood firm that the structure is not his priority.

 “From the start, I made my pronouncement that the province would not spend a single centavo for the repair of the CICC,” Davide said.

 Board Members Miguel Antonio Magpale, Grecilda Sanchez, and Jude Thaddeus Sybico also refused to comment pending receipt of a copy of the complaint.

The CICC would reportedly need around P160 million for restoration and upgrade. The building is owned by the Capitol while the lot where the facility stands is owned by Mandaue City.

The CICC was constructed during the time of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for the 2007 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit at over P800 million in public funds.

“Never  Again”

In a separate development, two fisherfolk in Cordova town denied reports they have something to do with the “Never Again” streamer at the CICC.

 Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy who hails from Cordova said Ricky Jumao-as and Ireneo Pogoy Jr. cried foul over reports dragging them into the issue.

 “Poverty is their main concern and it is an insult to them to be used for political gain,” Sitoy said.

 The Cebuanos for Good Governance and Development is reportedly a coalition of cause-oriented groups including Bisdak Pride, Kabataan Partylist and a Cordova fisherfolk association and individual convenors.

 The CGGD is set to officially launch the group on November 28 at CICC. —Gregg M. Rubio/JMO (FREEMAN)