BUSINESSMAN Crisologo Saavedra filed a complaint with the Ombudsman-Visayas seeking an investigation into reports of alleged overpricing of a parcel of land bought by the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).
Saavedra’s complaint named MCIA manager Paul Villarete, Pericles Dakay, lawyers Glenn Napuli and Cyril Apao, Eduarda Patalinghug, Maximo Patalinghug, Juana Maranga, and Apolonio Maranga as respondents.
The MCIAA bought for P590 million a 42,329 sq. m. lot, denominated as Lot 2538, located in Barangays Bankal and Buaya in Lapu-Lapu City which is adjacent to the Mactan Cebu International Airport.
Saavedra said he reported the transaction to President Rodrigo Duterte last July 26.
He said the price per square meter of Lot 2358 should have been P3,500 as was approved by original lot owners Eduarda Patalinghug and Maximo Pulvera.
Patalinghug and Pulvera reportedly signed a document granting exclusive and irrevocable authority to Anatalia Booc to sell the lot.
With the compromise agreement, Booc was eased out of the transaction despite having a claim on the property and despite informing Villarete about it, Saavedra said.
The parties to the compromise agreement allegedly agreed to a P13,980 per sq. m. price over the lot despite the zonal value of the lot in the nearby airport at P9,000 per sq. m.
Saavedra alleged that the heirs of the lot owners who entered into the compromise agreement did so in bad faith since they did not inform MCIAA of the annotation of Booc’s claim in the title.
Saavedra said the title of the property could not be transferred to MCIAA due to the annotation of Booc’s adverse claim.
Villarete said he believes that it is not anomalous to execute a court-approved agreement, referring to the case previously filed by MCIAA against the heirs of Pulvera.
“The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) endorsed the agreement to the Court of Appeals which directed us to comply with its provisions. We will submit all the documents to the Ombudsman and fully cooperate with its investigation,” he said.