CPA acts on San Fernando port project deal violation

THE Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has issued a notice of violation against the proponent of First Sangat SF International Port Corp. in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando town, after the contractor, Melekon Contractors Inc., has started its operation even if the agency has not given them a permit to construct.

In a notice of violation dated January 12, 2018 and signed by Angelo Verdan, CPA general manager, it orders the proponent lawyer Felizardo Tiu and Ruben Feliciano to show cause on why their application for a permit to construct, which is still undergoing evaluation, should not be denied.

Based on the CPA’s findings, the contractor has already conducted an ongoing development and earth-moving activities in the site despite the lack of a permit to construct from the CPA.

Lawyer Tiu, one of the proponents of the project, told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview that the contractor, who is currently conducting development in the area, is no longer connected to them and has no authority to operate and start the project.

Tiu said that he was shocked when he received the notice of violation from the CPA.

He said that they haven’t started the project yet, since they still lack several documents and permits to proceed with the construction of the international port.

“I strongly deny that because we haven’t started the project yet. The reason that we haven’t started because there are still documents that we need to secure. First is the area clearance from DENR regional office; second, we need to secure permit to construct from CPA; and third is the notice to proceed from PRA. Otherwise, we will be doing illegal activity in the area,” Tiu said.

“Last October 30, 2017, we’ve already terminated our Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Melekon for the construction, development and completion of the port with reclamation component project situated at barangay Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu” he said.

He claimed that they decided to terminate the MOA with Melekon after they found out that the contractor did not have money to fund the project.

“We are planning to file charges against them. We’ve also heard that there were Taiwanese who funded them to implement the project and we are planning to include them in the case that we will file,” he said.