Raps filed against Puerto Galera mayor

Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro – A resort owner here has filed a complaint against the Puerto Galera mayor for the recovery of his land propery and a petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and an injuction to the Regional Trial Court to desist the chief executive into entering an agreement with a private company for the development, construction and operation of water system in the area.

Lawyer Ben Malcontento representing Mulawin Investment Inc., the owner of Kalaw Inn resort in Puerto Galera has filed a complaint against Puerto Galera Mayor Hubbert Christopher Dolor to prevent him in entering into an agreement with Puerto Galera Water Consortium composed of JL Business & Technology Consultancy, Inc., Oppax Group, Holdings, Inc., Pro-Environment Consortium and Salahi Builders Corp.

In his 15-page complaint, Malcontento alleged that the municipality of Puerto Galera through Dolor has eminently showed its intention in entering into the agreement without any consultation with the rightful owner of the property in Barangay Sabang, the prominent Kalaw family of Batangas.

“In this project, the Puerto Galera government will give the three-hectare property to the private proponent for free,” Malcontento told The Star adding that the Kalaws originally lent the property to the municipal government 19 years ago for the layering of the 2000 meter pipeline leading to the water reservoir.

“Pinahihiram lang ng mga Kalaw ang property apparently for public consumption, pero kung private entity na ang gagamit at pagkakakitaan, ibang usapan na yan,” Malcontento said.

Malcontento said the complaint aroused in January when Dolor started to announce to the public through local newspapers that he will enter into a business partnership with private proponents in rehabilitating the water system of Puerto Galera.

“Actually the project is laudable because it will benefit the people, but along the way, procedures have been disregarded including the bidding procedures, no municipal resolution for the mayor to negotiate and most importantly, they are giving a private property which is not even owned by the municipality,” Malcontento said.

In the proposed memorandum of agreement, which is considered in a final planning stage, the financier of the said project will be the municipal government which violates the Build, Operate and Transfer ruling, said Malcontento.      – Arnell Ozaeta