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Bacolod City, Philippines Wednesday, September 19, 2012
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Protest vs. COA still on,
impeachment raps eyed
BY CARLA GOMEZ

A group of private citizens areputting up streamers in Bacolod City calling on the Commission on Audit to release its decision on thesale and lease by the Negros Occidental provincial government of its 7.7-hectare Bacolod property to AyalaLand immediately, and are sending a call to actionmanifesto to President Benigno Aquino III.

The group that is also calling on AyalaLandnot to withdraw its P6 billion investment in the Capitol property, wants to know what the COA decision is so it can move on,NestorEvaristo, vice president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental, said yesterday

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon said the provincial government is not taking legal action against the COA for the delay in the decision but he was informed that some private citizens are doing so.

Some private citizens, who include a mediaman, areplanning to file an impeachment complaint againstCOA Commissioner Grace Pulido-Tan for the failure of COA to come up with a decision on the Ayala project in 60 days as required by the Constitution, the governor said.

The AyalaLand withdrawal of the projectwas due to the non issuance byCOAof itsruling on the deed of conditional sale and contract of lease for the 7.7-hectare propertythat was submitted to the commission for review in July last year yet, the governor said.

He said the lighting of candles in front of the provincial Capitol in Bacolod City Monday nightby private citizens to mourn the withdrawal of AyalaLandfrom the project, and to call on the firm to stay, isgood as it will convey the sentiments of the people of Negros to the officials in Manila, especially the Commission on Audit.

The people of Negros are angry at them for blocking progress in Negros, the governor said, noting that among the participants at the candle lighting rites were construction workers.

Aside from the loss of a P6 billion investment, job opportunities for 4,000 Negrenses also went down the drain with Ayala’s decision to withdraw from the project, the governor added.

“We are hoping against hope that AyalaLand will reconsider, but if there is no COA decision, how it proceed with the project?” he asked.

The governor said he hopes private citizens angered by the cancellation of the project do not stop voicing their indignation.

Evaristo said the plan to file an impeachment complaint against the COA chairman is not from his group.

However, he said their group that staged the candle-lighting protest Monday, will continue demanding an answer from government and COA on the delay in its decision. “We are not taking this sitting down,” he said.

They convened again yesterday morning and among the groups that committed to join them are HRANO, the Philippine Constructors Association of Negros,Bacolod-Negros Occidental Bakers Association, United Architects of the Philippines, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, thethree Filipino-Chinese chambers of commerce in Negros and the Philippines Association of Real Estate Brokers, Evaristo said.

They agreed to put up streamersin Bacolod City with the message “COA do not delay. Release the decision on the Capitol-Ayala contract immediately – Concerned Negrenses,” he said.

He said they will also issue a manifesto calling on COA to release its decision immediately, which they will send to PresidentAquino, the COA, and other ranking officials.*CPG

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