Talisay officials sued over subdivision project

CEBU, Philippines - A Talisay City Hall employee is asking the intervention of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against the city officials after his request for the issuance of a cease and desist order of the ongoing subdivision project in Sitio Libo, Barangay Mohon was left unheeded.

Ireneo Leuterio, President of Linao, Mohon, Pooc Candayao Irrigators Association (LIMOPOCA), filed the request last December and stated that the area developed by Box Hill Subdivision under AE International Construction and Development Corporation was declared as an agricultural or natural heritage site of the city.

LIMOPOCA is a farmer beneficiary organization of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) with existing irrigation projects in Barangays Linao, Mohon and Pooc in Talisay.

Leuterio stated that they are consistently opposing the backfilling activities of AE Construction because it hampers the irrigation system of LIMOPOCA.

Vice Mayor Alan Bucao, in an interview, said that the Box Hill Subdivision has completed all the documents required needed.

In January 2016, the city granted the Box Hill Subdivision the Application for preliminary approval and locational clearance (PALC).

The resolution granting Box Hill clearance indicated the area applied excludes the lots which are suitable for rice field and within the jurisdiction of Department of Agriculture (DA) and the NIA.

In April 2016, Box Hill was also granted a Development Permit (DP) after providing documents like Environmental Compliance Certificate, PALC, Certificate of Non Issuance of Notice of Coverage from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Fencing Permit Clearance and barangay clearance.

Bucao added that the past administration was right in approving the application, adding that the city does not have the right to issue a cease and desist order against the subdivision project.

He also defended that the area was not declared a heritage from the historical commission.

Bucao also disclosed that they were disappointed since Leuterio was a government employee in the city under the office of City Councilor Doroteo Emit.

“Medyo nasakitan sa atong administration karun nga unta pwede istoryahon, pwede man sila makigsulti sa council through his boss.  I (bring) up ang maong concern para matagaan ug pagtubag. Nahug gyud ug insult nga ang naghimo ang taw nga gisweldohan sa Talisay ug naa pa gyud sa konsehal,” Bucao added. (FREEMAN)