Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has deferred the ground breaking rites for the P135-million Parola ferry terminal building project for a few more days from the scheduled November 11 start of construction of a modern state-of-the-art terminal for passengers bound for Guimaras and back.

According to a press release from the Iloilo City Hall Public Information Office, Mabilog admitted he has to seek other legal opinions and review the contract legality between the city government and Double Dragon Properties which won the bidding for the terminal and commercial buildings to be constructed at the old Rotary Park in Parola, Iloilo City.

The projects will be constructed at no cost to the city government alongside the P125-million berthing area and pier project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

Mabilog said the construction of the Parola ferry terminal project will be postponed for a few days and will not affect the ongoing construction of the DOTC pier project, the PIO release stated.

The city mayor said the project feasibility study was conducted by the Cities Development Initiative of Asia (CDIA) several years ago on the viability of the ferry terminal project that will upgrade and modernize sea travel from Iloilo City to Guimaras and back.

QUESTIONED

Earlier, Alfonso Bedona, regional director of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) questioned the city government's use of the "Swiss Challenge" in the selection of Double Dragon Properties Corp. as its joint venture partner for the project.

He said it is questionable and could be ground for an Ombudsman case.

Bedona said, under Republic Act No. 9184, the "Swiss Challenge" is only resorted to in instances when a foreign company submits the best bid for a contract and edge out a Filipino company.

Meanwhile, in an earlier interview over GMA's Ratsada, Atty. Ferdinand Panes, city director of the Department of Interior and Local Government, said that the city government could not anchor its engagement with Double Dragon Properties Corp. on a joint venture on Section 35 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code, which refers to joint ventures with people's organizations and non-government organizations.

Former Iloilo provincial administrator and The News Today executive editor Manuel "Boy" Mejorada also wrote the city government to point out the "legal infirmities" in the procedures adopted in awarding the contract.

He said the city government should have adhered to the procedures laid down under the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR) for Republic Act No. 6957 as amended by Republic Act No. 7718 and not on Ordinance No. 2012-213.

"It is elementary in law that a local ordinance cannot substitute or supersede a national law," he said.*