The rehabilitation work by the Department of Public Works and Highways on the Honorata Manalo Road (Buri Road) in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, was temporarily stopped when a commotion ensued between the affected lot owners, barangay officials and the contractor (Silver Dragon) yesterday. The landowners placed barricades on their properties and posted placards saying “no trespassing” and “private property” to stop the rehabilitation being implemented by the DPWH. The DPWH was prompted to temporarily stop the road rehabilitation in the area to prevent further conflict. The incident occurred after personnel of the Silver Dragon allegedly threatened and challenged members of the Villacin family, one of the affected lot owners, to a duel if they continue to object to the implementation of the project initiated by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia. Carmela Rife, niece of Majesty Villacin, said they called for police assistance to avoid any untoward incident when tension arose between both parties when a barricade was set up on their property to prevent the implementing agencies to continue their rehabilitation work which they consider road widening. Rife said they deployed security guards to protect their lots because the implementing agencies do not respect their rights over their property. Barangay watchman Daryl Pastor said he pacified those involved in the commotion and intervened in order to avoid further altercations among the parties. Meanwhile, Mandalagan Barangay Captain Arturo Parreño said he advised the Silver Dragon to temporarily stop their work, to ease the tension. Parreño said Rife could not present the title of the property they are claiming and how much its assessment is. Since the road belongs to Bacolod City, it should be the city who should pay the lot owners. He said the affected lot owners are scheduled for a hearing today at the Barangay Hall, on the controversial Buri road project. He said he already served summons to the lot owners, the DPWH and the Silver Dragon. Earlier, nine property owners filed a complaint for payment for just compensation with the Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 49, after the city and the DPWH failed to resolve the issue on the liability for compensation. Villacin said she respects the project being implemented by the DPWH thought the efforts of Leonardia, as she considers it to be a good project for the development of the city of Bacolod. But she insisted that they cannot allow them to continue destroying their lots because they had been protecting them for many years now. Villacin claimed that they are not objecting to the project, but they only want to receive their just compensation which they have not yet received for more than two decades. On the other hand, Leonardia said the rehabilitation and widening is endangered unless the city government steps in and assures the landowners of Buri Road in Bacolod that they will be compensated. Leonardia said the city government is obligated to compensate the landowners, and it must now do so as its share in the development of the road that is going to connect Lacson Street in Mandalagan to the Circumferential Road in the East, and to the Bacolod Silay Airport Access Road. “I have done what I could by mobilizing national government resources to the tune of P100 million for this project,” Leonardia said. Leonardia said that landowners have been protesting the road construction because they have not been paid for their land, which the city government is supposed to do. How can the DPWH pay for this when it is a city road? he asked. Leonardia said Mayor Monico Puentevella should be grateful when they found funds for its widening and rehabilitation. He (Puentevella) should also do his part by paying the landowners, which should be a much, much smaller amount than the P100-million national budget allocation, Leonardia added. Despite the assurance of Leonardia, Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilor El Cid Familiaran, during their meeting Saturday, that they will do what they can to address the concerns of the affected lot owners, Rife said there has been no positive outcome about it. Rife said they aired their concerns about the Buri road project but instead of considering their appeal, it turned out that they are the ones who are having a bad image because of their objection.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
|