Mayor questions Waterfront protest on lot sale

The management of Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug should have signified their interest on lot 917 long ago if they were indeed interested to acquire the 2,357 sq meter property, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.

Rama said he doesn’t want to see Waterfront Hotel and Casino challenging the disposal of the lot to Hotel Asia, Inc. and turn the lot sale into another dispute similar to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) expansion project.

The airport expansion project is now on hold after the project’s second highest bidder accused the highest bidder of conflict of interest and lack in financial capabilities among others.

“The most important things is that whoever will be coming out to protest the lot sales has legal basis. Whoever will hurt the city is fighting the city government. It’s fighting the mayor’s office. I will not take it sitting down,” Rama said.

Rama clarified yesterday that the property wasn’t sold even if Hotel Asia already made a down payment equivalent to 50 percent of the lot cost because he has yet to sign the deed of sale.

A resolution authorizing Rama to sign the lot’s deed of sale remains pending before the City Council.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, head of the council’s laws committee, is asking the register of deeds to issue a certification that will give assurance that the property is not subject to any lien.

Andales made mention of an affidavit of adverse claim which businessmen Felix and Luis Gochan issued on Dec. 2011.

The council also referred the letter of Vicente Lazaro, Waterfront hotel’s group chief engineer, expressing their interest on lot 917 to the city legal office and the committee on awards for comment.

Rama said he read Lazaro’s letter and explained that he would rather let City Legal Officer Jerone Castillo or Atty. Jose Daluz, the awards committee head, respond to it.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III’s request for a share of the lot proceeds is something that will have to be dealt with separately, he added.

Rama said he and Vice Mayor Edgar Labella met with Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale last March 14 and discussed several issues such as lot 917. He said the talks were positive.