CLARK FREEPORT – “Who authorized the demolition of several buildings at the CIAC property and where did the proceeds (from the scrap) go?”
Thus Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo dared Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano to make a full accounting of the circumstances surrounding the demolition of at least 16 buildings abutting on the area leased by Pelayo around the civil aviation complex here.
In an interview on Thursday night, Pelayo said Luciano “had a lot of explaining to do” as the demolished buildings were “still serviceable.”
“So for what reasons were these buildings demolished? And on whose authority? Who benefited from the demolition? Did the supposed beneficiaries really get the proceeds?” rattled off Pelayo.
According to Pelayo, then Presidential Management Staff head Hermogenes Esperon informed him that an authority for demolition was granted for “only one building” at the aviation complex, and that the scrap materials will be sold and the proceeds given to members of the Bamban Aeta Tribal Association (BATA) for their livelihood.
“There is a clear abuse of that authority, with all 16 buildings now demolished,” Pelayo said even as he lamented that “most of those are still serviceable.”
Last week, CIAC Board Chairman Nestor Mangio practically took to task Luciano for the demolition. Said Mangio in a letter to the CIAC president: “It has come to my attention that several warehouse structures within the CIAC are being demolished. I have also brought this matter in our meeting last May 21 in my office. I understand we have not discussed this matter in the Board. May I know by what authority are these demolitions happening?”
Mangio in the same letter enjoined Luciano to stop the demolition “until we discuss the matter with the Board.”
On June 2, a fact-finding body was scheduled to report its findings before the CIAC board. No information however was released to media on what transpired in that meeting.
Pelayo has vowed to attend the CIAC board meeting slated June 16 and to testify before an investigation panel on the demolition of buildings, most of which were warehouses.
CIAC Board Chairman Nestor Mangio was tasked to lead the fact-finding body which is expected to present their report about their investigation in the next board meeting.
Pelayo expressed disgust, saying the demolished buildings were part of his proposed Clark One-Stop Agricultural Market.
The proposed project, Pelayo said, would not just attract visitors and tourists but would allow farmers and small businessmen to showcase their products.
“I grew up with farmers and I want to help raise their dignity and comfort in life. I will not personally benefit from this but the Freeport and the people will, especially my porvincemates,” said Pelayo of the project.
In the proposed plan, the one-stop shop will stand on a 144,000- square meter property. It will have a wet market, flower and fruit markets, kim-chi factory and food processing area, the Cosmo office, agricultural cleaning and packing house, agricultural packing market, agricultural input and terminal, traditional market, restaurants and fast food centers, convention centers, exhibition hall and parking terminals.
Pelayo disclosed that he had started his plan with the establishment of a market selling produce of Candaba farmers. He later created a Cosmo center which will display products of his province mates and a Korean-owned appliance maker.
Pelayo said his project with Koreans had not prospered because he was not given permit to operate by Luciano for over a year now.
“I wonder what prevented him from doing so. I was planning to rent some buildings and not use them for free,” said Pelayo. He added that he had been given permit to operate one building after paying an advance rent of $24,0000.
“But CIAC acted too late on my proposal and the investors, including the Koreans, had too leave me because of the delays,” said Pelayo.
He added that he got the shock of his life when two of the buildings he had used and plan to use were demolished.
Pelayo disclosed that his son, Patrick, had been offered P450,000 just to allow the demolition of the said two buildings. He added that he and Patrick had not accepted the offer and even got mad at the person allegedly offering the bribe whom he identified as one Josie Gomez of Barangay Atlu Bola, Mabalacat.
Commission on Audit (COA) State Auditor Constantino Gatchalian on April 15 wrote a letter to Luciano inquiring about the demolition of buildings at the 2,367-hectare CIAC area. The COA official said there were at least seven buildings “already demolished but no report of the amount of proceeds from the sale of the scrap materials were submitted and no report of who among the members of the association received the benefits from the proceeds.”
Luciano arrived from the USA last week but has yet to answer the issue.
Thus Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo dared Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano to make a full accounting of the circumstances surrounding the demolition of at least 16 buildings abutting on the area leased by Pelayo around the civil aviation complex here.
In an interview on Thursday night, Pelayo said Luciano “had a lot of explaining to do” as the demolished buildings were “still serviceable.”
“So for what reasons were these buildings demolished? And on whose authority? Who benefited from the demolition? Did the supposed beneficiaries really get the proceeds?” rattled off Pelayo.
According to Pelayo, then Presidential Management Staff head Hermogenes Esperon informed him that an authority for demolition was granted for “only one building” at the aviation complex, and that the scrap materials will be sold and the proceeds given to members of the Bamban Aeta Tribal Association (BATA) for their livelihood.
“There is a clear abuse of that authority, with all 16 buildings now demolished,” Pelayo said even as he lamented that “most of those are still serviceable.”
Last week, CIAC Board Chairman Nestor Mangio practically took to task Luciano for the demolition. Said Mangio in a letter to the CIAC president: “It has come to my attention that several warehouse structures within the CIAC are being demolished. I have also brought this matter in our meeting last May 21 in my office. I understand we have not discussed this matter in the Board. May I know by what authority are these demolitions happening?”
Mangio in the same letter enjoined Luciano to stop the demolition “until we discuss the matter with the Board.”
On June 2, a fact-finding body was scheduled to report its findings before the CIAC board. No information however was released to media on what transpired in that meeting.
Pelayo has vowed to attend the CIAC board meeting slated June 16 and to testify before an investigation panel on the demolition of buildings, most of which were warehouses.
CIAC Board Chairman Nestor Mangio was tasked to lead the fact-finding body which is expected to present their report about their investigation in the next board meeting.
Pelayo expressed disgust, saying the demolished buildings were part of his proposed Clark One-Stop Agricultural Market.
The proposed project, Pelayo said, would not just attract visitors and tourists but would allow farmers and small businessmen to showcase their products.
“I grew up with farmers and I want to help raise their dignity and comfort in life. I will not personally benefit from this but the Freeport and the people will, especially my porvincemates,” said Pelayo of the project.
In the proposed plan, the one-stop shop will stand on a 144,000- square meter property. It will have a wet market, flower and fruit markets, kim-chi factory and food processing area, the Cosmo office, agricultural cleaning and packing house, agricultural packing market, agricultural input and terminal, traditional market, restaurants and fast food centers, convention centers, exhibition hall and parking terminals.
Pelayo disclosed that he had started his plan with the establishment of a market selling produce of Candaba farmers. He later created a Cosmo center which will display products of his province mates and a Korean-owned appliance maker.
Pelayo said his project with Koreans had not prospered because he was not given permit to operate by Luciano for over a year now.
“I wonder what prevented him from doing so. I was planning to rent some buildings and not use them for free,” said Pelayo. He added that he had been given permit to operate one building after paying an advance rent of $24,0000.
“But CIAC acted too late on my proposal and the investors, including the Koreans, had too leave me because of the delays,” said Pelayo.
He added that he got the shock of his life when two of the buildings he had used and plan to use were demolished.
Pelayo disclosed that his son, Patrick, had been offered P450,000 just to allow the demolition of the said two buildings. He added that he and Patrick had not accepted the offer and even got mad at the person allegedly offering the bribe whom he identified as one Josie Gomez of Barangay Atlu Bola, Mabalacat.
Commission on Audit (COA) State Auditor Constantino Gatchalian on April 15 wrote a letter to Luciano inquiring about the demolition of buildings at the 2,367-hectare CIAC area. The COA official said there were at least seven buildings “already demolished but no report of the amount of proceeds from the sale of the scrap materials were submitted and no report of who among the members of the association received the benefits from the proceeds.”
Luciano arrived from the USA last week but has yet to answer the issue.
