Firm to Cebu City: Pay P32M

ASIAN Energy Systems Corp. has filed a complaint against Cebu City government for not paying the services they rendered to the city.

Asian Energy is the owner and operator of the private sanitary landfill in Consolacion town where the city dumps its garbage.

The company filed the complaint at Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial Region (NCJR) Branch 195 in Parañaque City.

The company is seeking payment for the P32 million of tipping fees for garbage that the city dumped in the company’s landfill from January to June 2016, which was before Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña assumed as mayor.

In the complaint, Asian Energy, which is represented by it’s president Cipriano Abdon, demanded to the city to pay the amount which is covered with Purchase Order (PO) issued during the administration of former Mayor Michael Rama.

“But (Osmeña), without valid reason and in violation of PO 398 issued by the City of Cebu, refused and failed to pay the amount demanded for the services rendered by (Asian Energy) for the solid waste disposal for the city of Cebu,” the company stated in its complaint.

In previous interviews, Osmeña said that he would not pay Asian Energy because he believed that the transaction between the city and Asian Energy during Rama’s term as mayor was illegal.

But Asian Energy in its complaint, said that the existence of the PO issued by the city government constituted a contract between the city and the corporation which is deemed legal and bound by law.

Thus the city is obligated to pay.

The Cebu City government has yet to send its reply to the complaint.

The Cebu City Legal Office filed motion for extension and they will answer the complaint in due time.

“We are already preparing our answer. It will be filed in due time,” said City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez.

Read more...