It is everybody's right to go to court, but the filing of a case to stop the construction of the government center, will be tantamount to committing a criminal act, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday when informed that there are some people who plan to file such a case.

"This is because we will prejudice the P140 million property donated by the Gonzaga family to the city if the project is not started by Dec. 31," he said.

It is as if such people want Bacolod to throw away a P140 million property it already owns, he said. And why do they want to do that? he asked.

Leonardia said many civic leaders, who are for the government center, are dismayed at how things are developing because of all the fuss over it. He said this city, sooner or later, will have to build its own government center because it is truly needed. It cannot remain this way until forever, he said.

Five years from now, maybe billions will be needed to put up the project, Leonardia said. And we may no longer have the property then.

Asked if he believes there is an orchestrated plan against the project, Leonardia said his office has received reports that ticklers against it are regularly being distributed to media outlets that is why they are taking up the same issues.

He said he now believes that those who want to take over are the ones attacking his administration through this project. This is very sad because it is something that Bacolod residents apparently approve of.

City Administrator Lorendo Dilag said that should such cases be filed maliciously against the project and the city loses the P140 million property, he agrees that these people are committing a crime and purposely depriving the people of Bacolod of the property in their wish to discredit this administration.

He said that as election nears there are vehement critics coming out against the administration. Although they welcome criticisms, Dilag asked, what have these persons done during their time, when they were given ample chances to do something for the city?

Meanwhile, Dilag said the presentation of the bidders is on Oct. 19. He said the bidders will present pictures of their perspective of the project to be viewed by the public after examination by the city.

He said that at present 13 bidders have responded to their invitation to bid. He said these are Tokwing Construciton, Liberty Builders, WT Construction Inc., J.H. Pajara Construction Corp., Hilmarch's Construction Corp., RII Builders Inc., Young Builders Inc., ARN Builders General Construction, J.M. Luciano Construction Inc., Vinnell-Belvoir Corp., Frilou Construction Inc., Geo-Trans and Construction Inc., and Izumo Contractors Inc.*CGS

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