By: Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is willing to sit down with officials of the Negros Cooperative Bank (NCB) on the latter’s impending ejection from the area inside the Capitol Lagoon and Park.
Earlier, the provincial board approved a resolution authorizing Lacson to terminate the deed of usufruct between the provincial government and NCB on the latter’s use of the 526-square meter lot located at the Capitol Park and Lagoon.
The termination of the usufruct means that NCB will have to vacate the lot.
Board Member Andrew Montelibano, author of the resolution, said the bank had not paid its water and electricity bills to the provincial government for 12 years.
He said NCB had been using the property for free, but there was a breach of contract and “conflict of interest.”
Lacson said the provincial government will formally send a letter to the bank.
“I’m sure they will make an appeal. I am willing to listen to them,” the governor said.
He said that “what is clear is that they violated certain terms of the contract at the expense of the province.”
“We cannot just neglect the violations. But we will talk to them and hear it directly from them,” Lacson added.
Montelibano said Nestor Bayona, NCB head and a provincial consultant of the previous administration, was the one who signed the contract for the cooperative with the provincial government.
“In 2017, they signed another contract to extend the use of the property for 40 years,” he added.
“They have been using the property for free, and yet they have not been paying the electric and water bills since 2007,” Montelibano said.
Lacson said though that he would encourage the management of the bank “to look for another place.”
(Photo Courtesy of Provincial Government of Negros Occidental)
