CEBU, Philippines- Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale has clarified that the present administration is looking after the province-owned Cebu International Convention Center, refuting the claim that the idled facility has been neglected.
“Wa man na pasagdi. In fact, we are in constant negotiation with the national government,” she told reporters yesterday.
She made the statement in response to former governor now Cebu third district Representative Gwendolyn Garcia’s description of the facility as the “most solid visual proof” of Governor Hilario Davide III’s “inexcusable neglect.”
Magpale pointed out the ongoing transaction between the Department of Trade and Industry and the province to rehabilitate the CICC.
She said they are also awaiting permission from the Office of the Ombudsman before introducing any repair works on the facility, noting that it is the evidence of the ongoing graft case filed against Garcia.
The facility has been standing idle after it suffered damage from the October 2013 earthquake and super typhoon a month after. The CICC was built during the administration of Garcia as governor for the 2007 Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit using over P800 million in public funds.
The Department of Trade and Industry has pledged to develop the facility into an international trade exhibition center.
In her criticism of the current administration, Garcia mentioned Magpale and Board Member Peter John Calderon as among those who endorsed and approved the CICC project as well as the controversial Balili property purchase.
But Magpale contended that what the legislative body was asked for then was only its authorization and that the negotiation for and implementation of the project was already beyond their control that time.
“That is already an executive function. The legislative has nothing to do with the execution, whether it was overpriced or not. Igo lang mi nga ni-authorize sa pagbuild because at that time, we really needed a convention center because anhi gud diri ang ASEAN Summit,” Magpale said on why they as PB members approved the construction of the facility.
She said that while they gave authority to then Governor Garcia, the responsibility of due diligence rests on the governor, not on them as PB members.
“Due diligence should be exercised by the executive who will finally buy it (property). In fact, dunay standing joke sa Board at that time, it was even shared by her allies, that we authorized her to buy land, not water,” she added, referring to the Balili property that the Capitol bought even when a portion of it was underwater.
In response to this, Garcia said the PB that time “blindly approved or authorized” the purchase of Balili property when it was presented to them.
“Is this the way she has been conducting herself, a supposedly responsible public servant?” Garcia said, adding that due diligence is not an exclusive responsibility as it applies to all who are holding public office. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Gregg M. Rubio of Banat News/RHM