Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the barangay officials opposing the construction of a city government center in Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City may want to sabotage the project because they do not want his administration to succeed.

Leonardia said he was surprised at the resolution of Brgy. Taculing opposing the project, when other barangays want it to be set up in their area. Apparently, those who oppose the project in Taculing are among those who supported the recall move against him, he said.

However, Taculing barangay kagawad Charlie Pabular said he is in favor of the project in their barangay. He said Taculing residents welcome the project in their area and are now initiating a signature campaign.

Pabular said Taculing barangay kagawads Ricardo Abangan and Julius Tamayo are also in favor of the construction of a government center in Taculing, but Tamayo was on leave because he was in Manila when the resolution opposing the project was passed Saturday. Those who voted against the project were kagawads Alexander Diamante, Manuel Sunco, Eduardo Toledo and Leonides Decena, while Sangguniang Kabataan representative Lady Gles Gonzales was absent.

Pabular said the night before the passage of the resolution, he was invited by one of the kagawads, who opposed the project, to come with him to a meeting with former Councilor Juan Ramon Guanzon, one of those who offered to donate his property to the city. However, he said he decided not to go because he is against the construction of the project in Brgy. Mansilingan, where the Guanzon property is located.

"The issues they have raised, like traffic problem can be resolved by City Hall," Pabular said.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said Taculing Brgy. Captain Rommel Sanson allowed the construction of a cellsite in his property despite opposition from the Taculing residents, and also ordered the cutting of trees near Police Precinct 6, but now he does not want the government center because it is identified as a Leonardia project.

"We believe putting up the project in Taculing would even enhance the facilities of the Bacolod City National High School," he said. We do not believe they have valid reasons to oppose the project except for pure and simple politics, he added.

Leonardia said it was the Sangguniang Panlungsod that had invited offerors to give the City Hall Committee a wider choice. However, after the evaluation of all the proposals, the committee had concluded that Taculing was still the best site, he said.

City Administrator Lorendo Dilag said 54 elementary and high schools in Bacolod City endorsed Taculing as the venue for the government project. Brgy. Capt. Rommel Sanson said he personally has no objection to the plan but things will depend on what action the barangay council will take, he said. If they agree to the construction of a motel in their area why not a government center? He asked.

"Of all the Mayors in Bacolod, it is only Leonardia who really exercised seriousness in constructing a government center," Dilag said, adding that all others had also dreamt of building one but it had remained a dream. It is also ironic that the people criticizing the project of the Mayor are former government officials, he said. But what had they done during their time? He asked.

Dilag said the Mayor will ask the SP for authority to negotiate for a loan for the construction of the project on Thursday. If approved, the ground-breaking may be held in September and construction will follow, he said.*CGS

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