Decision on Guadalupe split out next month

CEBU, Philippines - The decision on whether or not to split Barangay Guadalupe into two barangays will be known in January.

“I will make the decision of the petition filed by Victor Buendia next month,” said Regional Trial Court Judge Gabriel Ingles.

He said both parties –former Labangon councilman Victor Buendia and the United Banawa-Englis Association Incorporated – already filed their respective memoranda which were the basis for the order.

Ingles said each memorandum contains arguments to support each party’s claims.

UBEAI President Crispin Villarin said he hopes that the decision of Ingles will be in their favor.

“We already filed our memorandum and we went to the sala of Judge Ingles on December 15, 2010 for follow-up if there was already a decision but according to Judge Ingles he will release the order on January,” Villarin said.

Earlier Ingles dismissed the petition filed by Buendia after he failed to attend two hearings of the case.

However, Buendia filed a motion for reconsideration to the order of Ingles saying his lawyer Julius Entise was not able to attend the hearing since he attended a seminar.

It was eventually granted by Ingles.

Buendia filed the petition in court to stop the Commission on Elections from holding a plebiscite on the split until the court sets the boundary of Barangay Labangon and sitio Banawa.

Buendia had learned Rosalina Village, where he resides, is included in Republic Act 9905, which will create the new barangay of Banawa-Englis.

It was former president and now Congressman Gloria Arroyo who approved RA 9905, which separates sitios Banawa and Englis from barangay Guadalupe to become a separate barangay, Banawa-Englis.

Malacañang has released P1.5 million to Comelec for the plebiscite which was supposed to be held last March 13.

But, Buendia argued that his right of suffrage would be violated if the court rules Rosalina Village is indeed part of Guadalupe. 

Guadalupe has a population of close to 50,000 and has 12 sitios and 68 puroks. – THE FREEMAN