Journalists, including those of local TV networks, tried to interview SBMA officials and get their side on the burning controversy surrounding their alleged partiality in the condotel dispute here involving two Korean groups but failed to locate any of them.
Only Armina Belleza C. Llamas, Public Relations Department chief, was on hand to meet the team of journalists at her office but could not give a straight answer to their queries referring only to an April 27 prepared “Official Statement” of the SBMA on the Ocean Condotel takeover.
First out was SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto Garcia who was reportedly in Europe on officials business. Next on the absentee list was SBMA Legal Department Manager Von. F. Rodriguez and his deputy Randy Escolangco who were both reportedly in Taipei, Taiwan also on official business.
Initially, it was only Escolangco who was reported to be abroad and Rodriguez was attending a hearing in court. However, a last minute text from Llamas said Rodriguez was also in Taipei.
Orlando M. Madella Jr., a retired police general, who now heads the SBMA Law Enforcement Department (LED) was also conveniently absent from his post.
LED personnel could not even say where their boss was.
When asked if Madella is on official leave like the others, his staff said: “Hindi naman po, may nilakad lang po (No he’s not, he just went out to attend to some business).” When asked if he was out of town, one of his staff said: “Di po namin alam Sir e (We don’t really know Sir).”
When pressed who can speak for the LED in the absence of their boss, they answered, “Major (Angelito) Barcelon the operations manager.”
When Barcelon came and was asked about the condotel dispute, he said: “Wala po kaming masasabi dyan e, siguro siya lang makakapagsabi kasi siya po ang nakakaalam doon sa dispute na yon (We cannot say anything about that, maybe he is the only one who can speak on that dispute because he is the only one who knows about it).”
“Pwede po hintayin na lang siya baka saka- sakaling darating po siya sa susunod na araw (Can you just please wait for him, maybe he will come in the coming days),” a visibly nervous Barcelon said.
But when asked about Madella’s schedule, no one among those present could say anything.
When the newsmen turned to Barcelon again for his reaction on the condotel dispute, he said: “Hindi po dahil hindi naman po ako kasama sa operation. Sila po ang nag operate noon kaya di ko po alam sitwasyon doon (No I don’t know because I was not with them during the operation.
They were the ones who led the operation that’s why I don’t know the situation there).”
As the newsmen were about to leave, an LED staff came into the room and said Madella was in Manila undergoing a medical check-up.
As of press time, Madella’s whereabouts were still unclear.
An SBMA source said we were lucky to have been allowed inside the LED building which is normally off limits to newsmen.
Leciel Hotel
What used to be known as Ocean Condotel owned and operated by the Freeport Elite Resorts, Inc. (FERI) is now advertised at the lobby as “under new management” and with even a brand new name – “Leciel Hotel.
Karen Bedania, Natividad’s secretary, said her boss was in Pampanga. When asked who she can refer to answer queries she said she will call the Human Resources manager who refused to even meet the newsmen.
Bedania said Natividad is on “official business.”
She said the hotel is at the moment “almost full house” and not affected by the dispute.
She said it was just a few days ago when the hotel’s name was changed to Leciel. Bedania denied that Kang was also at the hotel and said the only manager is Natividad.
