The Commission on Audit said it noted some questionable provisions in the Deed of Conditional Sale and Contract of Lease of the 7.7-hectare prime lots of the provincial government of Negros Occidental to Ayala Land Incorporated.

COA Director IV Fortunata Rubico, in a memorandum to Gilbert Kintanar, chief executive staff of COA chairperson Maria Gracia Pulido-Tan, a copy of which was secured by DAILY STAR, said the Commission Proper in its meeting April 12, also noted that the contract of sale and lease submitted for approval were unsigned.

Rubico, however, did not state in the memorandum what the questionable provisions in the sale and contract lease were, based on the report submitted by the COA technical audit team.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon had earlier blamed the COA for its delay in deciding on the review of the sale and lease of the Capitol property. This prompted the provincial government to de-prioritize the P6B Capitol Civic Center project of Ayala Land Inc., and move on and focus on other development projects in Negros Occidental.

The ALI also informed Maranon of its decision to focus its development plans and resources on other projects in the province.

Rubico said the CP ordered its Legal Service Sector to require Marañon to comment on the letter of Lorenzo Alminaza, counsel for Manuel Villadelgado, who had brought to the COA attention, the pending court cases pertaining to the ownership of Lot 403, that is allegedly included in the proposed sale and rental agreement submitted to the COA for approval.

Tan inhibited herself from the COA review of the contract since the law firm of her husband served as counsel for the SM Prime Holdings Inc.

SMPHI opposed the Capitol’s sale and lease of Capitol property to ALI.

Rubico said Tan inhibited herself from the deliberation of the case due to what the commissioner calls “malicious insinuations” hurled against the COA and her person by the “local media” in Negros Occidental.

While untrue, she (Tan) feels that she can no longer be objective, Rubico added.*GPB

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