Agnes to Gwen: ‘Just furnish us contract’

CEBU Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale is more interested in seeing a contract for the earth-moving work going on the controversial Balili lot than a briefing by Gov. Gwen Garcia about the development.

“We do not need that. We are only asking for the contract of the backfilling,” Magpale said in a press conference yesterday.

“December 11 is too long a time to present the contract. We don’t have to go to the Powerpoint presentation. They just have to send the contract to us in the name of transparency,” Magpale said.

Governor Garcia, answering her critics, earlier said she would make a full disclosure of the ongoing work at the coastal lot in barangay Tinaan, Naga on Dec. 11 in a Powerpoint presentation.

She said this in response to the privilege speech of Provincial Boardmember Arleigh Sitoy, who said legislators were in the dark about reclamation work there or the purpose for covering with soil the land which is the subject of a graft case in the Sandiganbayan.

On mass motion, the PB adopted Sitoy’s suggestion to ask the governor’s office for a copy of the contract.

Magpale said the issue is not the 2008 purchase of the property for P98.9 million but the subsequent development of the site after the purchase.

Sitoy said he would attend the governor’s presentation on Dec. 11.

“I will attend because I miss the voice of Gov. Gwen, but my presence would not mean that we will erase the issues.” /Joy Cherry S. Quito, Correspondent