Tabuk CLGU denies KARSA’s request for a copy of Bulanao Public Market lease contract

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The City Public Information Office (CPIO) of Tabuk denied the request of Kalinga Apayao Religious Sector (KARSA) for a copy of the contract of lease agreement between the City Local Government Unit of Tabuk and XRC Developers and the feasibility study regarding the development of the Bulanao Public Market.

“We regret to inform you that said request cannot be granted considering that the same did not explicitly inform the reason or purpose for requesting the information,” City Public Information Officer Aurora Amilig stated in a response letter dated November 17, 2021.

Amilig in the letter cited Section 9 (a) of Executive Order No. 2 Series of 2016 or the operationalizing in the executive branch the people’s constitutional right to information and the state policies to full public disclosure and transparency in the public service and providing guidelines as a reason of denying the said request.

Section 9 of the EO provides that ‘any person who requests access to information shall submit a written request to the government office concerned. The request shall state the name and contact information of the requesting party, provide valid proof of his identification or authorization, reasonably describe the information requested, and the reason for, or purpose of, the request for information.’

Said section further states that ‘provided that no request shall be denied or refused acceptance unless the reason for the request is contrary to the law, existing rules and regulation or it is one of the exceptions contained in the inventory.’

Response of KARSA to the CPIO’s letter

As a response, Rev. Fr. Jairus Mateo, Vice President of KARSA Inc. said in an interview that they followed said procedure as they wrote in their letter that their request is in the interest of public transparency.

“We followed what she asked in her letter met ket apay kasta ti ibaga da manen,” Mateo stated.

Letter of KARSA

As recalled, KARSA has written Tabuk City Mayor Darwin Estrañero and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod requesting said documents in an attempt to find means to settle the controversial issues regarding the contract between Tabuk City LGU and XRC Developers in developing the Bulanao Public Market.

In a letter dated November 11, 2021, KARSA Inc. stated that they have been ‘following the events and issues regarding the Tabuk City LGU and XRC Developers deals which plans to demolish the Bulanao Public Market and lease the 3.8-hectare government-owned land for P2,000 annual rent’.

The group claimed that in the interest of transparency, they have already asked for a certified copy of said documents from the mayor’s office, the City Public Information Office, the City Legal Office, the City Administrators Office, and even the Sangguniang Panlungsod, but they were not given a copy.

Aside from the documents, KARSA also asked whether a comparative study was conducted to show that the lease agreement is more beneficial than a joint venture or having the City LGU shoulder development expenses.

Letter to Tabuk City SP

Likewise, the group in a separate letter addressed to SP Tabuk has also asked for copies of the deliberations of the XRC lease agreement.

KARSA additionally requested the council to invite the City Mayor, the City Administrator, the planning officer, and XRC representatives to present during their session the contract of lease, feasibility study of the project, and the proof that the City LGU will not be at a disadvantage.

KARSA, in the said letter, further asked the body to allow them to invite an expert to present claims that the deal is disadvantageous and questionable.

“By doing this, we can have both sides of the story being presented to the people. We hope that this action will help solve the issue regarding the market deal created,” the group stated.

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