The firm of Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez should halt work on his reclamation project at Purok Bayanihan in Banago, Bacolod City, pending a public hearing and acquisition of permits, Barangay Captain Ricky Mijares said on Wednesday, September 7.
But Gonzalez said the work being done by his company, Home Invest, in Purok Bayanihan was for recovery of his eroded private property, and not a reclamation project.
The councilor also said he has the necessary permits for such activity from the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR) and two city government offices.
In fact he could file charges for usurpation of real property against the barangay captain for backfilling activities on his land in previous years without permission, Gonzalez said.
Mijares said Gonzalez on August 30 sent a request for a RONO from the Barangay Banago council and he called for a special session on September 2 to act on it.
A kagawad said since the reclamation project of Gonzalez had no permit a public hearing should first be conducted to get the sentiments of the people, Mijares added.
A motion was also passed that while Gonzalez is processing the permit for his reclamation project he should temporary stop work on it, Mijares said.
A kagawad complained that the road from Purok Mahimulaton to Purok Bayanihan has cracks because of the heavy trucks of Gonzalez passing through the area, he added.
Mijares also said he filed a police blotter report that the government-built shoreline protection that was turned into a boulevard was destroyed by Gonzalez.
The shoreline protection was built with funds from the city and barangay, Mijares said.
He filed a blotter report so if the destruction is questioned he can point to the person responsible, Mijares said.
They thought the landfilling activities of Gonzalez was only on his property but found out later that it was already in the sea, which caused the destruction of the shoreline protection, Mijares said.
Gonzalez said the RONO secured by the Bacolod Reclamation Gateway Corp. from the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod was for the proposed 247-hectare reclamation and port project in Banago.
The RONO from the SP is one of the many requirements for their application with the Philippine Reclamation Authority that will take at least five to ten years, or never, to complete, he said.
The reclamation project is totally different, what the barangay captain is complaining about is the ongoing recovery of titled property being done by Home Invest, Gonzalez said.
His property was eroded through the years so Home Invest secured a certificate of land recovery of the embankment and for slope protection from the DENR, Gonzalez said.
They also have a Certificate of No Objection from the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and a certificate from the City Engineer’s Office that there is no impediment, Gonzalez said, adding that the development will even improve the area.
Work on the property is ongoing, the barangay officials have no grounds to stop it, he said.
Gonzalez also denied that his vehicles caused cracks in the barangay road.
A RONO from the barangay is not really needed for the work being undertaken on his private property, he said.
What is disturbing to him is similar projects in Banago by private land owners were not asked for the same requirements by the barangay council, Gonzalez said.
The Bacolod SP Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government headed by Councilor Al Victor Espino will hold a hearing on the complaint lodged by Mijares, Vice Mayor ElCid Familiaran said.
The Barangay Banago council is also set to hold a hearing Thursday, September 8.**