In his August 8 letter to DENR regional director Julian Amador, Manayon said: "The Barangay Council of Barangay Manipis, City of Talisay would like to ask your good office for permission to conduct ground delineation survey over the barangay boundaries of barangay Sinsin of Cebu City and of barangay Manipis of Talisay."
Manipis is claiming the property, which is now in the possession of Sinsin as part of its sitio Lantawan.
Manayon argued that the area is part of Manipis and not of Sinsin. A territorial survey, which Talisay City had commissioned, shows that the area is part of Manipis.
The disputed lot was said to be included in a presidential decree creating the then municipality of Talisay.
Sinsin, which is facing Toledo City, is a southern mountain barangay of Cebu City, and the area that Manipis has been claiming is said to be abundant in trees and vegetables.
In his letter to Amador, Manayon said the purpose of the survey is to "demarcate the territorial and political jurisdiction of barangay Manipis."
Manayon said that "future developments would be orderly planned in accordance with existing applicable laws and that further territorial conflict between Manipis and Sinsin will be prevented."
Sinsin barangay captain Aurelio Laspoña earlier said Manipis should be the one to hire a geodetic engineer to determine whether the lot is indeed part of its territory.- Garry B. Lao