Auditor not present in Cebu City lot bidding

A STATE auditor yesterday told the court that she wasn’t present during the bidding for the sale of the Cebu City-owned lot 917 in Lahug.

Cebu City resident auditor Cymbeline Celia Uy said she didn’t receive any invitation to appear during the bidding for the 2,357-square meter property that was awarded to Hotel of Asia Inc.

Hotel of Asia Inc. was the lone bidder during the proceeding. Uy said she usually disallows the awarding of a project to a firm in case there is only one bidder.

Cebu City Hall said the presence of the resident auditor wasn’t necessary during the bidding since under Commission on Audit (COA) Circular 92-386, the presence of COA representatives from the city government is enough.

Regional Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta of Branch 9 yesterday heard the petition filed by Waterfront Cebu City Casino Hotel Inc. against the Cebu City government and Hotel of Asia Inc. on the sale of a property adjacent to the five-star hotel.

The judge has yet to rule on whether or not to issue a temporary restraining order.
Named defendants in the case are Mayor Michael Rama, the committee on awards represented by Atty. Jose Daluz III, the Cebu City Council and Hotel of Asia.

Hotel of Asia, the winning bidder, already paid 50 percent of the purchase price to the city government as down payment.

But the deal is not final since the Cebu City Council has yet to authorize Rama to sign a contract.
Waterfront Hotel, which objected to the sale, proposed a “long-term” lease of the Cebu City-owned lot.

The hotel group’s chief engineer Vicente Lazaro said they need a lot to set up air-conditioned tents which they could use as venue for concerts, fashion shows, exhibits, bazaars, pet shows and motor shows.