BAGUIO CITY – The former site of the Jadewell Parking Systems Corporation along Harrison road will best serve as an added pay parking facility in order to help decongest the city’s streets from illegally parked vehicles instead of being used as an amusement or carnival site, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said.
The local chief executive issued the statement after the city council rejected a committee report denying the use of the area as a site for a carnival but instead decided to approve the proposal of an amusement operator for the use of the site as an area for the so-called carnival for a 3-month period starting next month.
“Once the pending issues on the Jadewell parking area will be resolved with finality by the Supreme Court (SC), then it is best to use the same for pay parking purposes in order to help decongest the city’s roads from the numerous vehicles parked along the streets that contribute to the city’s worsening traffic woes,” Domogan stressed.
The city council approved the use of the former Jadewell parking area for the operation of a carnival after the proponent was able to present authorization from the company to temporarily use the area for such purpose in the next three months in order to provide an added attraction in the city during the summer months.
However, Domogan explained the legal issues surrounding the pay parking contract has not yet been resolved by the Supreme Court (SC) with finality because Jadewell filed a motion for execution of the earlier SC ruling finding the rescission of the council of the 12-year pay parking agreement as invalid.
Contrary to the opinion of some councillors that the city can now do what it wants over the property because the Jadwell contract already expired and by virtue of the SC ruling, the city mayor underscored it is still best to await the final ruling of the SC on the pending unresolved motion so that all concerned parties will be guided in what future actions to take.
He said he prefers that the area will be used to put up a collapsible parking area in order to accommodate more vehicles and get rid of too much parking along major roads around the city.
Domogan cited the city is eager to takeover the property as much as possible but there are still pending legal matters to be resolved by the SC that is why he is appealing to the people for more patience in awaiting whatever will be the decision of the SC on the pending issues before taking the necessary steps to use the property for productive purposes.
He said the city government understands the predicament of the concerned residents regarding the non-use of the property for income-generating purposes of the local government but they should also understand the legal implications of whatever their actions without the pending issues being resolved by the SC.
In 2000, the city government signed an agreement with Jadewell Parking Systems Corporation for the use of the city-owned property along Harrison road as part of the city’s off-street parking area for a maximum period of 12 years.
Because of the mounting opposition from the motoring public on the implementation of off-street and on-street pay parking in the city, the city council unilaterally rescinded the agreement in 2002 in violation of the 5-year non-recissibility period that paved the way for the filing of a battery cases against members of the city council for grave abuse of authority among others.
The city was supposed to receive a share of 20 percent from the net income or 50 percent of the gross income of the company whichever is higher but the rule of the mob initiated by some well-known human rights lawyers and even incumbent city officials prevailed in driving out the company from the city after the council rescinded for the second time the agreement in 2006 which was already within the 5-year non-recissitibility period.
Domogan said he is inclined to veto the council resolution once submitted to his office considering the fact that the same should now be used as a pay parking area in order to contribute in addressing the city’s parking problems instead of being used as a carnival site.
By Dexter A. See
