Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – The Mandaue City Government welcomed the plan of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to review the legality of the sale of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) to the city.
Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, executive secretary of Mayor Jonas Cortes said that the city has yet to obtain a copy of the observation of the Commission of Audit (COA) on the CICC transaction which was Garcia’s basis for the planned review.
“Nagmention man gud sa observation sa COA niya diri sa atoa sa dakbayan sa Mandaue wala ta ka kita pa og unsa ni nga observation, so, mas maayo nga makita unsay legal basis sa statement ni Gov. Gwen regarding sa CICC,” said Ibañez.
Garcia who was already cleared by the Ombudsman of any criminal liability regarding the construction of the CICC is thinking of creating a technical working group to look into the legality of the CICC sale.
During the term of former governor Hilario Davide III, the provincial government sold the CICC for P300 million to Mandaue City which was then under the stewardship of former mayor Luigi Quisumbing.
Ibañez said if the plans to recover the CICC would push through, the city will be ready since it has already fast-tracked the building of social housing for the fire victims of barangays Tipolo, Guizo, and Mantuyong who are currently staying in the area.
” Sa pagkakarun, mao manggyud nay priority nato hilabi na sa Housing and Urban Development nga mabalhin na gyud sa ila’ng permanenteng pinuy-an, kani’ng maharlika side, Guizo-Mantuyong nga side. Gi fasttrack na nato ang pagbuhat sa social housing. Nabantayan nato nga patag na to didto, back filling kay mao manggyud to ang area nga butangan sa permanent na nga site,” said Ibañez.
Ibañez said that as of the moment, there is no formal communication yet between the provincial government and the city government pertaining to the CICC. /rcg