'City has not closed doors
to BREDCO renegotiation'
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Secretary to the Mayor Roger Balo yesterday said renegotiation between the city and the Bacolod Real Estate Authority is still a possibility if the Sangguniang Panlungsod cannot act on the takeover option.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he believes this is not a closed case, Balo said. Without preempting the action of the SP members, going back to renegotiation table is still a possibility if they cannot decide on the takeover option, he said. The ball is now in their court, Balo added.

Balo said the P800,000 annual rental of BREDCO as stated in the 1995 contract should have been reviewed by the city every five years. "I think we could not be blamed for the failure to do so by whoever were the representatives of the city then," he said. We are trying to correct what was wrong in the first place, he added.

Taculing gov't center site
called 'disadvantageous'
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Two former Bacolod City officials called the decision of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia to construct a new government center in Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City "disadvantageous" to the city.

Former Councilor Juan Ramon Guanzon, one of those offered to donate his property to the city, said that if the decision of the Mayor is final, it will be in conflict with his vision to create new growth centers in the city.

He said the city-owned property in Brgy. Taculing is already congested and the construction of the project there will affect the Bacolod City College and the Bacolod City National High School, including its football field. Former Mayor Rolando Villamor said he believes the decision of Leonardia will be challenged in court. He said the Taculing site is already congested and the property could be saved by the city for future use since there is a property being offered for free, referring to the Guanzon property in Brgy. Mansilingan.

COMELEC won't set aside
order for Silay vote recount
BY NANETTE GUADALQUIVER

The Commission on Elections First Division has denied the motion of Silay City Mayor Carlo Gamban to set aside its orders for the holding of the recount of votes for the mayoral post in all 311 precincts in the city during the May 2004 elections.

In their two-page order dated March 13, Presiding Commissioner Resurreccion Borra and Commissioner Romeo Brawner affirmed and upheld their twin orders of Feb. 22, 2006 and directed the election officer of Silay City "to proceed with dispatch (in) the collection, inventory, and transportation of the contested ballot boxes to the premises of the Commission (in Manila), if the same has not been done."

Protestant Jose "Oti" Montelibano, who ran against Gamban, told the DAILY STAR yesterday that he is confident that the recount can finally proceed because he has waited too long.