Group formed to oppose P150M loan for relocation site
BACOLOD CITY — The Movement Against Graft and Kindred Alliance of the Urban Poor for On-Site Development (MAGKAUPOD) led by its Over-all Chairman Edgardo Estacio recently submitted a position letter to Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson opposing the SP Resolution No. 670 Series of 2009, “Resolution ratifying the loan agreement and deed of assignment entered into by and between the city government of Bacolod, represented by the City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia and the Philippine National Bank represented by its Senior Vice President, Victorio C. Sison, as well as any and all other ancillary/supporting documents that are required to be executed pursuant to the said loan agreement in order to implement the P150 million to finance the acquisition of a relocation site.”
Estacio said that even if the city acquires the said property, yet it is not easy to relocate the squatters because it lacks amenities, like roads, drainage, potable drinking water and power supply.
According to the position paper, it is impossible to develop the relocation site because even the Abcasa-Escay property was not given due attention and development since it was established by former Mayor Luzviminda Valdez.
They claimed that based on the Commission on Audit (COA) report, the city had a 35 hectares lot and this property could no longer be located. The petition said that this property could be utilized as a relocation site for the squatters.
They challenged the city government to locate this property before giving preference for a loan amounting to P150 Million. Estacio said that the missing property was under mortgage by the city government to Bank of Philippine Island (BPI) and also to Maybank.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Vicente Petierre III said that the land referred by this group was already redeemed by the city government. Petierre believed that this group was convened to advance the interest of some politicians here in the city of Bacolod for the coming 2010 election.