Controversial bizman Cedric Lee dealt with Cebu Capitol

Cedric Lee (PHOTO GRAB FROM ABS-CBN)

A company of Cedric Lee, the alleged mastermind behind the mauling of comedian and television host Vhong Navarro, was the frontrunner in developing a waste-to-energy facility in the controversial Balili estate in barangay Tina-an in the City of Naga, Cebu.

The administration of former Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia awarded Lee’s Waste Management Inc. (WMI) for the construction and operation of the waste facility two years ago.

But the proposed business venture never materialized after the 27-hectare Balili lot became subject to a graft case against Garcia in the same year.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III confirmed that he has met with Lee December last year after the latter tried to revive the waste-to-energy proposal, this time in Danao City.

According to Davide, Lee showed him a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the project. However, he said that the Capitol has not entered into a contract with WMI.

“I met the guy already. He came to my office last year to inform me of their waste to energy facility. But I checked the records, there was a failure of bidding,” he said.

“There is no contract between his company and the province,” he added.

The waste-to-energy facility was supposed to be one of the structures in the Balili estate, which included a proposed Tina-an Eco-zone Development Plan .

The plan consisted of a port, light industry, manufacturing services, a water reservoir and an eco-park.

The project was estimated to generate P850 million in 25 years on rental fees alone for the Capitol, with its lease at P40 per square meter every month.

WMI reportedly agreed to pay rent for one year at P10.8 million starting February 2013.

In February last year, WMI proposed to the province’s Economic Enterprise Council (EEC) to build the waste-to-energy facility in Danao City instead of its original location in the Balili estate after learning that the lot faced legal problems.