Godinez lawyer offers P17 million to Apas residents

THE legal counsel of Mariano Godinez is offering Apas families affected by a pending court-ordered demolition P17 million financial assistance on one condition: City Hall would advance to him the amount pending the sale of the property.

Lawyer Roberto Palmares said his monetary offer was more than enough to acquire a lot that  the 168 affected families could use for a relocation site and buy housing materials.

But since the 4.5-hectare lot is still unsold and the demolition order of the court is still to be implemented, Palmares is asking the city government to advance the P17 million cash assistance that he promised.

“I will pay the city (back) ug mahalin na ang yuta (once the land is sold),” he said in an interview with radio dyAB yesterday morning.

When asked about the lawyer’s comment, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said while he would willingly provide the venue for the opposing parties in the land dispute to reach an agreement, he would rather first consult the 168 affected households in sitio San Miguel, barangay Apas, on the offer.

“I wanted the proposal to come from them kay lisud kaayo ug kita ang magpatawag unya ang ending ma dudahan pa ta (It would difficult for me to facilitate the proposal because I don’t want to be at the receiving end of  whatever suspicion in the end),” Rama said.

Unless the contested land is vacated, negotiations for its disposal could not proceed, said Palmares.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña  of Cebu’s south district said in an earlier interview that if the Apas lot were sold at P20,000 per square meter, its proceeds would amount to at least P900 million.He said that Palmares is expected to get at least 10 percent of the total value amounting  at least P90 million if he wins the case for Godinez.

Palmares however clarified he is not privy to the actual value of the lot. But he expressed certainty that the Godinez property cannot be considered socialized housing site.

Palmares said that he be glad to have Mayor Rama and Rep. Osmeña as witnesses to the compromise agreement, he said.

He said that Apas residents could purchase a lot in Pardo for their relocation site. A certain Cresencia Sollano has offered to sell her five-hectare property for only P5 million.