MANILA, Jan. 31 -- The Court of Appeals (CA) has denied suits questioning agreements in connection with the lease of a public market in Bais City, Negros Oriental.

The CA's Twentieth Division affirmed the 2017 and 2019 lower court decisions turning down the suits that questioned the 2016 contract of long-term lease between the city, which owns the Mercado de Bais, and the Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI).

The petitioners claimed to be long-time residents and vendors with market spaces from where the city collected daily rents.

They claimed the lease violated the provisions of the local government code and that the conversion of Mercado de Bais into a mall of MRSGI will deprive the city of a public market.

City officials, on the ...