ALLEGATIONS of unremitted rent payments at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center were raised Monday, July 21, by a special assistant to newly seated Misamis Oriental Gov. Juliette Uy.
The claims, made by Celso Abocejo, target the previous administration, accusing them of mismanaging the government-run sports complex.
However, the camp of former Gov. Pedro Unabia denied the accusations.
Abocejo, speaking during a flag-raising ceremony, said the governor’s office received complaints from tenants that their rent payments had not been remitted to the Provincial Capitol’s coffers.
“For three years ilang bayad wala gi remit sa kapitolyo,” Abocejo revealed.
The Provincial Economic Investment Promotion Office (Pedipo) was in charge of collecting rents at the Pelaez Sports Complex.
“Ang ilang bayad wala gi remit sa kapitolyo ug gipaninglan napud sila and this is a million pesos,” Abocejo said, adding that the exact amount has yet to be released by the Capitol.
“Kinahanglan ni tagaag hustisya,” the governor’s special assistant said.
Abocejo alleged that tenants rented without contracts and that different individuals collected rents from them.
However, former Gov. Pedro Unabia’s camp responded to the issue, stating there is no basis for the accusation.
According to a statement released by Unabia, Pedipo was established in 2023 with the goal of strengthening Misamis Oriental’s economic foundation and creating more opportunities.
“We established the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office to manage and maximize the province’s income-generating assets,” Unabia’s official statement reads.
The statement added that Pedipo oversees sports facilities, rentable spaces and investment projects, ensuring efficient operations and sustainable revenue growth. It also drives public-private partnerships and strategic investments that create jobs and expand economic opportunities.
During his last State of the Province Address, Unabia presented that the revenue generated from the Pelaez Sports Center amounted to more than P10 million, based on revenue generation through Pedipo-managed enterprises.
All these funds, according to Unabia, were properly remitted to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, and the respective office can attest to that.
The statement also added that there is no truth to claims of a lack of consultation regarding businesses inside the sports complex, as consultative meetings were conducted during his term.
