THE Cebu City Council yesterday passed a resolution calling on the executive department to suspend the public bidding of two lots in the South Road Properties (SRP).
In a privilege speech, Councilor Sisinio Andales said the 2014 resolution passed by the council authorizing Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to negotiate for and dispose of the lots cannot supersede a 2012 ordinance approved by the council.
“I’m not against the selling of the properties at SRP if indeed we are in dire need of money,” he said, but pointed out that the ordinance must prevail.
The 2012 ordinance requires prior approval of the City Council of the sale of SRP lots and mandates the mode of unsolicited proposals rather than open bidding.
On June 30, City Hall’s Committee on Awards will open the bidding for the 26-hectare lot near the Calungsod templete and the vacant 19-hectare lot between SM Seaside City and Filinvest.
Mayor Rama said there was no reason to stop the process.
“Why will they stop? The bidding has to go on. Karon pa? Wa sila kuyapi? (Why now? Are they serious?) That matter has to proceed. T they have to proceed,” Rama said in a separate interview.
Cebu Holdings Inc./Ayala Land, Filinvest Land Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Aboitiz Land and Robinson’s Land Corp expressed interest to bid for the lots in a pre-bid conference held last June 18.
The City Council yesterday said the bidding committee should review the 2012 ordinance and get the comment of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) central office in Manila.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo, one of the authors of City Ordinance 2332, said the 2014 ordinance only stated unsolicited proposals as the “preferred” mode of disposition.
He said Andales’ concerns should instead be referred to the council’s ad hoc committee on the SRP for review.
Cebu City Mayor Rama said there was no reason to stop the bidding process.
“Why will they stop? The bidding has to go on. Karon pa? Wa sila kuyapi? (Why now? Are they serious?) That matter has to proceed. T they have to proceed,” Rama said.