‘Ormoc LGU owns San Pablo property’

MANILA, Philippines — Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez has denied claims that the city government does not own a parcel of land in Barangay San Pablo, where the Ormoc City College will be constructed.

In a statement, Gomez said Potenciano and Aniceta Larrazabal Enterprises Corp. (PALEC) has not shown any document that it owns the property.

”The title holders were the ones who signed the contracts in favor of the city. It is not true that the city relied only on permits to enter (the property),” she said.

Gomez said PALEC is insisting on an old Sangguniang Bayan resolution ”that surely cannot override titles and the Agrarian Reform Law.”

She said PALEC took the property from the contractor for at least two times and covered what had been excavated and plowed.

Gomez said the incident prompted the city government to file a case to stop PALEC from disturbing the construction of the building.

“If there was any violence or intimidation... it was by PALEC representatives, not by the city,” she added, noting that heavy equipment were also brought in the area.

On the closure of small business and sand and gravel operators, Gomez said the city government is ”taking very strong measures” to ensure that only those with valid permits and compliant with health, building code and environmental laws can do business in Ormoc.

”We are protecting those who take the time to follow the law. When we ask for compliance from everyone, we are being fair to those who are legitimately and legally doing business,” she said.