Chavit Singson firm says Payanig bidding doomed from start

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has only itself to blame for Tuesday’s failed bidding for the “Payanig sa Pasig” property.

This was the contention of Blemp Commercial of the Philippines Inc., a company of former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, which claims to be the rightful owner of the 18.5-hectare prime property in Pasig City.

In a statement on Wednesday, Blemp legal counsel Dennis Manalo said the July 14 auction, in which only Robinsons Land showed up out of the three prequalified bidders, “was doomed from the start.” “The legal issues involving the property were always well-established. In several interviews and even in their official announcement, the PCGG repeatedly underscored that participating in this multibillion auction would be done entirely at the risk of the bidder,” Manalo said. “[The PCGG] had every opportunity to entice bidders, but their hands were tied because they probably knew deep down inside that they could not legally award ownership to the winning bidder anyway.”

Manalo also said the PCGG statement that its officials had received “threats” from parties out to stop the bidding was a “flimsy excuse to divert attention from the commission’s lack of legal basis to sell the property.”

Blemp claims to be the rightful owner of the land based on titles it acquired in 1971 and 1975. Former PCGG Chair Andres Bautista earlier said the commission was selling Payanig on an “as-is-where-is” basis since issues continued to hound the mixed-use property. He also noted that tenants occupying a significant portion of the area, which is claimed by Blemp, had not paid rent to the PCGG, resulting in government revenue losses of around P2 billion as of June this year.–Jovic Yee