ILIGAN City ― Damn if you do. Damn if you don't.

That's the essence of this thing called "Catch-22." And for a time, it seemed like that.

I am talking of this controversial Palao Public Market here. Which costs P583 million. Which the then administration of mayor Celso G. Regencia proudly stated that "there's no loan involved here." A very good move, we should say and we've got to praise them on that.

And then BM Marketing from Tacloban City came into the picture. Who, it was learned, was the winning bidder? Yet, a request for the personal appearance of its head, Edgar Tiu by some of the Sangguniang Panglungsod members was not heeded. Because, Councilor Nilo Pardillo insinuated that some city officials might make some inquiries.. like "How much…" We just have to figure out what comes after the phrase. Anyway, the construction did begin. In February 2020. To be finished by December of 2021.

Yet, December 31, 2021 came and went. Nothing is done yet. I mean, it remained unfinished. BM asking for several extensions. Because of this, because of that.

For one thing, there was the pandemic to contend with. Okay. Fine. And then after the pandemic seemed to have run its course, it still was not able to finish

Until another administration came into being, with city mayor Frederick W. Siao at the helm. But BM Marketing was still in the "extension" mode. After the 6th extension, it requested another extension, the 7th. This time, this was already under the new administration. The latter though was not in the mode for love, I mean not in the mode for another extension. But the mode was not put into words. So the contractor understood it as a "yes." Anyway, what did they say about "silence'? That it means "yes".

So it requested for another extension, the 8th. As in "tayo'y mag-- otsootso…" I do recall some dance moves on the matter, which involve some moving of the waist…No, I think there were any movements of the waist though. Nah, am just kidding.

The extensions have gone too far. And there's such a thing as "enough." Enough with the extensions.

With all the proper justifications, and documentation, as the new admin saw it, BM Marketing was terminated earlier this year, on April 24. Per the eyes of Siao et al, something went very wrong with the construction and the several requests for extensions didn't help.

BM Marketing didn't take it lying down, I mean sitting down. It filed for a TRO or a Temporary Restraining Order.

The Court here though junked it. Because it was not in their jurisdiction to decide on the matter. It is the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission. So, BM did go the CIAC way. Leaving this LGU in a quandary, in a Catch-22 position, like I said earlier. As in between the devil and the deep blue I mean blue sea. Like, is it okay if they proceed with the construction even if the CIAC hasn't decided on it, with another contractor finishing the job? What if it would take forever for it to decide?

Needless to say, the people here have become restless.

And then, by Nov. 24, Friday, the CIAC had decided. In favor of the LGU under Siao. Per his posts on the city's FB page. However, the CIAC still has to make inspections on the said market on the 11th of this month.

What? The "red" camp of CGR exclaimed. If that's the case, meaning they still have to do some inspections on it, then there's no decision-- yet!

Meaning, this administration under Siao can't differentiate between a decision and "not a decision"? Yet?

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