• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The provincial government of Negros Occidental is no longer interested to buy the two-hectare lot in Moises Padilla owned by the family of former mayor Francisco Nazareno Jr., where the Central Philippines State University (CPSU) satellite campus is located.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, in his letter addressed to Nazareno, said the province has decided to formally withdraw from all dealings upon the recommendation of the Provincial Legal Office.
“The decision to withdraw stemmed from failure of the seller to comply with legal and documentary requirements, legal deficiencies in the executed deed of sale, as well as their adversarial and uncooperative conduct,” Lacson said.
The provincial government earlier agreed to purchase the lot located in Barangay 7 for P25 million.
Despite numerous follow-ups and efforts to facilitate the transaction, Lacson said the continued failure of Nazareno to submit the required legal and supporting documents has prevented the provincial government from moving the process forward.
“The lack of cooperation and responsiveness has significantly hindered the completion of the necessary due diligence,” he added.
He also noted the discrepancies in Nazareno’s declared tax identification number and date of birth that prompted concerns about the correctness and consistency of his personal and tax records.
Lacson said the deed of sale was executed without the written consent of his spouse, adding that the overall conduct of the negotiations has become increasingly adversarial and unproductive.
“Despite the efforts to extend all necessary assistance, including the preparation of documents, appraisal activities, coordination with CPSU and preliminary work for Bureau of Internal Revenue processing, there has been no corresponding effort or sincere engagement from your end,” he further told Nazareno.
The 10-year deed of usufruct between Nazareno and CPSU, which allowed the school to use his property, expired in 2017.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said the provincial government will look for another property, where the CPSU satellite school can be relocated.
More than 1,000 students are enrolled at the CPSU satellite campus, who are residents of Moises Padilla and the neighboring local government units. | GB
