The fencing operations were initiated by personnel of Cebu2World Development Inc. (C2W) on Oct. 12, 2022 as part of their plan to construct a “Puso Village” in the area.
But CPA acting deputy general manager Glenn Castillo, in a statement sent to reporters on Friday, Oct. 21, said what Megawide and C2W are doing is “brazen encroachment and intrusion” especially since that property where the Compania Maritima is located is still subject to a legal dispute between CPA and the Cebu City Government.
“The CPA strongly condemns Megawide’s unprofessional and unethical corporate conduct, abetted by the City of Cebu, in implementing the legally challenged Joint Venture Agreement for the development of the Carbon Market in a way that not only flouts the property and statutory rights of the CPA over the Compania Maritima premises but also displays a disturbingly cavalier attitude towards the solemnity of the pending judicial proceeding,” Castillo added.
C2W, a wholly owned subsidiary of Megawide, is undertaking Carbon market’s redevelopment under a joint venture agreement with the Cebu City Government.
According to Castillo, employees of Megawide led by C2W deputy general manager Lydwena Eco were at the area on Oct. 12 to allegedly conduct clearing operations but were found to be installing fences, wirings and posts at the Compania Maritima premises.
Eco and Megawide personnel were accompanied by personnel from the Cebu City Police Station 3 led by Maj. Henry Orbiso and from Cebu City Police Station 5 led by Maj. Kenneth Albutra.
Castillo said they object to Megawide’s activities near the Compania Maritima as the area where the more than a century-old structure is, is still under CPA’s possession and is still subject to an ongoing civil case between the port authority and the Cebu City Government.
Castillo said they attempted to talk to Eco to stop their operations, but the C2W executive reportedly told them that their operations were made under the orders of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
No law violated
In a statement sent to SunStar Cebu on Friday, Oct. 21, C2W officials claimed that their construction works being done near the Compania Maritima do not violate any law or judicial proceedings.
“The land dispute is between the City government of Cebu and Cebu Port Authority. Let it be known that Megawide Construction Corp. and Cebu2World Development Inc. are not parties to the aforesaid case,” C2W said.
The firm added that it remains committed to its corporate value of professionalism in all of its dealings and actions.
C2W further said it only works on properties turned over by the Cebu City Government and it is required to optimize all of the lands in accordance with the signed joint venture agreement between the two parties for the Carbon District Modernization Project.
“Part of the modernization, in its interim phase, is the development of parking structures and spaces, and police outposts that are expected to help address the much-needed parking and security requirements in Carbon Market and the downtown area in general for the benefit of the entire Cebuano community,” read a portion of C2W’s statement.
Six year case
The CPA and the Cebu City Government have been at odds over the recovery of the Compania Maritima since 2015.
On July 7, 2015, the state, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a complaint for injunction with quieting of title against the City, represented by Rama and City Assessor Eustaquio Cesa before the Regional Trial Court.
The CPA represented the national government in the complaint.
The CPA sued the City over claims that the latter illegally usurped CPA’s property by demolishing the wall and concrete fence that the CPA constructed around the Compania Maritima in 2013.
In July 2013, the City, under Rama, started claiming ownership of the Compania Maritima by acquiring a tax declaration certificate for the property. (JKV, IRT)