Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said the campaign of the private sector for AyalaLand Inc. to continue its plan to develop the P7.7-hectare provincial government property in Bacolod City will, hopefully, convince the firm to reconsider disengaging from the project.

The private sector campaign may be working, he said.

The Commission on Audit recently approved the sale and lease of the Capitol property to ALI.

However, ALI, in a statement it issued, said it wished to disengage from the project as there is still a pending case filed by SM Prime Holdings Inc. at the Regional Trial Court Branch 50 in Bacolod against provincial government officials for awarding the property to Ayala.

“After more than 14 months of waiting, we maintain our intention to discuss a mutual disengagement with the Negros Occidental provincial government. We are now focused and accelerating the development of our 200-hectare North Point project (in Talisay City),” ALI said.

The provincial government has sent a copy of the COA decision to ALI along with a letter asking it to continue with the Capitol property development.

They are waiting for ALI’s answer, the governor said.*CPG

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