The Negros Occidental provincial government isfiling another  motion askingthe  Commission on Audit  to rule on the  sale and lease of its 7.7-hectare prime property in Bacolod City to AyalaLand Inc., Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said yesterday.

Marañon, who had expected the COA commissioners to take the matter up in their en banc meetingon Thursday last week, said he learned that the request of the provincial government for a COA ruling was not even on the agenda then.

The governor said he does not see any reason why the COA has not approved the sale or lease of the property since everything is in order.

The COA should at least explain its reason for not acting on the matter, Marañon said.

The provincial governmentsubmitted the sale and lease documents for review to the COA in July last year yet.

In April this year,  Marañon and ALI president Antonino Aquino signed  the  deed of sale and contract of lease for the property that is part of the COA requirements for approval of the deal.

A side agreement was that ALI would begin payment for the purchased and leased property only as soon as the COA officially releases its written approval of the deal, the governor said.

The Capitol is selling 36,587 square meters of land worth P750,033,500 to AyalaLand, while to  be leased is40,481 square meters at P2,955,133 a month, with rent escalating by 10 percent every five years.

Ayala has committed to investing more than P6 billion in the development of the property, and it will have a tremendous effect on Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, the governor said.*CPG

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