By AARON RECUENCO
For Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) Chairman Alexander Lopez, a legal battle is the last thing that they would resort to in fighting for the 60-percent government share in the Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex).
But as the Public Estates Authority Tollways Corporation (PEATC), the maintenance and operating arm of the PRA, has already filed a case before the Court of Appeals, Lopez said he would like to appeal to the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) to give that 60-percent share to the government.
“They already got back what they invested for the Cavitex project, and the agreement was that once it happened, they would give the 60 percent share to the government. It never happened until now,” said Lopez in an interview during the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum at New Clark City in Pampanga.
“In the interest of the Filipino people, I appeal to them to just give that 60 percent share to the government. We do not want to engage in any legal battle because they know deep in their hearts that they already got back what they invested and that the proper thing to do is to honor the contract and give the 60 percent share to the government,” he added.
But the legal battle that Lopez would not want to engage into with Cavitex investors already happened since aside from the mandamus case wherein the PEATC seeks full management and control of the Cavitex, cases were also filed that include the recent criminal case filed by the Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation (CIC) against PEATC officer-in-charge Dioscoro Esteban Jr.
Junked
In the latest development of the legal battle between the CIC and the PEATC, the Court of Appeals junked the gag order filed by the former against Esteban, PEATC spokesperson Ariel Inton, and legal counsel Sylvestre Golez.
Inton said that based on the decision released by the CA’s 10th Division, the gag order case filed by the CIC has no basis and that the CIC should have instead filed a petition for indirect contempt.
The same decision stated that if the CIC thought that the PEATC violated the sub judice rule, it should have filed the case before the proper court.
The case stemmed from the mandamus case filed by the PEATC wherein the CIC wants the former to stop discussing the case before the media.
Inton, for his part, said they have not publicly discussed the merits of the mandamus case and their statements in the media regarding the case were just in response to the statements that the CIC would make in its press statements.
“As far as I know, the CIC has issued more media releases than the PEATC and the PRA but we never complained because we fully respect press freedom,” said Inton.
The fight continues
Lopez, on the other hand, said they will continue to exhaust all means to get the 60 percent share from the Cavitex operation.
“What we are doing right now is to get back the fair share of the Filipino people,” said Lopez.
In an earlier statement, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and its subsidiary, the CIC, questioned the authority of the PEATC to file the case, saying the PEATC is not a party to the joint venture agreement with the government since those involved in the pact are the CIC, the PRA and the Toll Regulatory Board.