Work resumes of TRO-held P200M bus terminal project in Zamboanga Z M!

O "# $%T&' (ec )* + Work can resume an,time this month or ne-t ,ear on a P200 million %ntegrated !us Terminal .%!T/ project suspended b, the courts for alleged anomalies in the bidding process0 Zamboanga is the onl, cit, in the Zamboanga Peninsula region 1ithout a bus terminal of its o1n0 Municipalities in the pro2inces of Zamboanga 3ibuga,' Zamboanga del "orte and Zamboanga del 3ur ha2e long constructed their o1n income generating bus terminals along the high1a,s from this cit, to other points in the region and Mindanao0 !idding for the project started some si- ,ears ago' but the a1arding and bidding process has been subject to contro2ersies until the Regional Trial court suspended 1ork on the project that started sometime in October last ,ear0 $it, 4egal Officer 5esus $arbon said contending contractors for the project ha2e arri2ed at an amicable settlement to pursue the project in a meeting at cit, hall 6rida, morning0 The bus terminal project has been an announced and promised flagship project of then Ma,or $elso 4obregat since the 2007' 20)0 local election0 8arl, on her term' $it, Ma,or Maria %sabel $limaco has asked the cit, legal office to conduct a re2ie1 of the cit,9s %!T project 1hose implementation 1as suspended b, the Regional Trial $ourt for alleged anomalies in the bidding process for the project0 Work has started on the P200 million project b, the middle of last October 20)2' but contending contractors asked the court to stop the implementation of the project last "o2ember0 Ma,or $limaco said it 1ould be to the ad2antage of the cit, if the project be completed since this 1as alread, started and mone, alread, spent for the terminal0 The terminal concei2ed some si- ,ears ago 1as to ser2e all public utilit, 2ehicles' particularl, big busses coming from the pro2inces in the Zamboanga Peninsula and other parts of Mindanao0 The planned bus terminal located some eight kilometers east of the cit, proper 1as to stop the entr, of big buses to the commercial and go2ernment center 1ith its narro1 roads0 4ast "o2ember 2:' 20)2 the Regional Trial $ourt' ;th 5udicial Region' !ranch )7' Zamboanga $it, issued a Preliminar, %njunction against the continued implementation of the project0

Work on the project 1as stopped "o2 2< in compliance 1ith the injunction of the RT$0 The court order 1as handed do1n in connection 1ith the case filed b, R$(# $onstruction $orporation and R0=0 >uino $onstruction and (e2elopment $orporation' a joint 2enture' against then Ma,or 4obregat and the cit,9s !ids and 1ards $ommittee .! $/0 The cit, go2ernment bided out the project in 5anuar, 200; and a1arded the project to R$(# in pril 200;0 ?o1e2er despite the a1arding of the project' another bidder >uestioned the accreditation of the 1inning bidder0 s a result' Ma,or 4obregat cancelled the a1ard for R$(# although it had 1on the bidding and secured the fa2orable recommendation of the ! $0 Meantime' although the a1ard for the 1inning 1as recalled b, the ma,or' the cit, go2ernment rebidded the project and 1ork started on the project last October 20)2 b, another contractor not in2ol2ed in the initial bidding for the project in 200;0 %n 2ie1 of the implementation of the project b, the cit, go2ernment' although it 1as alread, a1arded to an earlier bidder' the contractors >uestioned the implementation of the project0 %n its 1rit of preliminar, injunction' the Regional Trial $ourt ordered the ma,or and the cit,9s !ids and 1ards $ommittee .! $/ to desist from @read2ertising' re-bidding and other acts in furtherance of the re-bidding of the aforesaid %ntegrated !us Terminal0A 6ollo1ing the issuance of the order' Ma,or 4obregat' through his la1,ers' filed a motion for its reconsideration' 1hich 1as denied b, the court the same da,0 The cit, legal officer 1ho is also a retired regional trial court judge said that the amicable settlement and compromise agreement bet1een the contractors appro2ed last 6rida, 1ill enable the cit, to continue 1ith the project0 The compromise agreement 1ill also cause the courts to dismiss the case that R$(# raised against then Ma,or 4obregat' the birds and a1ard committee and the local go2ernment0 The case in the regional trial court 1as initiall, pursued b, (imsum $onstruction that >uestioned the a1ard of the contract to R$(#0 When 4obregat recalled the contract earl, issued to R$(#' R$(# joined (imsum in filling a case against the cit, go2ernment0

%n the meantime' the cit,9s ! $ a1arded the contract to !en ?ur $onstruction last ,ear0 !en ?ur started 1ork but 1as stopped last "o2ember0 The cit, legal officer said the compromise agreement bet1een R$(# and !en ?ur 1ill no1 allo1 the continuation of the project0 The compromise agreement re>uired that !en ?ur 1ill contract R$(# for the suppl, of sand and gra2el for the project that 1ill cost about P: million0 .6elino M 3antos/