Construction of town cockpit questioned

SIKATUNA, BOHOL, Philippines – Some residents of this landlocked town have questioned the construction of a multi-million-peso cockpit at Barangay Abucay Norte, near the Sikatuna Tree Park.

A source, who requested not to be named, said the residents complained that the construction has no building permit and other needed documents yet to justify the project.

He said the project was purportedly carried at the heart of the rice farmland, allegedly in accordance with the approved comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) of the town.

Sought for his comments, municipal engineer Leoncio Casia, said in his text to The Freeman that the building permit was still “on the process,” but did not give however further details of the construction.

Efforts to contact Mayor Jose Ellorimo for comments also proved futile over the weekend because his two mobile phone numbers were just ringing without any answer when called up.

According to some residents, the lot where the construction is going on, was owned by a certain Boning Dahunog and bought by the person identified only as “Ryan.”

“Ryan” who was said to have a cock breeding facility at Barangay Sambog in Corella town, bankrolled the construction. He allegedly got a business partner, identified as one Aida Hilot, a resident of Sikatuna, who was reportedly the one running the affairs of the cockpit project, according to the source.

The DENR, when sought for comment, said that if the lot where the construction is taking place is classified as agricultural, then there should be land conversion process that should be followed first.

With that classification, the DENR will then endorse it (land conversion) for approval and the proponent should secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the agency.

The ECC is a set of conditions prior to construction of the cockpit project along with other pre-requisites such as building permit, the DENR added.  (FREEMAN)