City gov’t should protect its property
Barbed wire to designate ownership claims are put up in portions of the 4.2 hectare lot owned by the Cebu City government in Barangay Kalunasan. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
IT is the Cebu City government that should protect its ownership over the 4.2-hectare Osmeña Shrine in Barangay Kalunasan and not the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7.
Amid rumors that the property would be subdivided and distributed, plastic straw, buntings and even barbed wires were seen being used to divide the lot.
According to Collin Rosell, chief of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, he learned that members of the Old Philippine Railway Residents Association (OPRRA) fenced the area with the intent to designate their individual claims.
POLITICIZED
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants the DENR to intervene in protecting the area from intrusion so that the matter would not be “politicized”, he said.
“Because I overheard some names and now there’s such a thing as blanket denial but that has to be investigated. Who really brought these people and gave them false hopes because that is deceit and deceit is a criminal act?” Rama added clearly referring to his political rival, former Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Osmeña earlier denied encouraging people to claim the lot, saying he knows that the property is owned by the city government.
According to Rosell, he was told that the idea of subdividing the property came from former Kalunasan Barangay Chairman and OPRRA President Francisco Pintor and Osmeña.
REMOVE
Officials of Barangay Kalunasan together with the DWUP have started removing the plastic straws and buntings designating claims of the property.
“We will also try to verify and meet all the people that have intruded the property as to what is their real intention. If it’s housing, we’ll talk them through the city’s housing program,” he said.
TITLED LOT
DENR spokesperson Eddie Llamedo said the property is not a protected area, but rather a titled lot which is classified as alienable and disposable.
“Since the property is accordingly owned by the Cebu City government, they have the right to protect or at least police the said piece of lot,” Llamedo said.
“It is not a protected area. It is a titled lot which means the land classification is alienable and disposable. The Cebu City government as the owner of the property possesses the power and control,” he added.
CONSERVE
Rama said yesterday that he supports the barangay’s plan to conserve the area.
“We will definitely be promoting that shrine as Osmeña Shrine. And if it’s in line with environmental preservation, the city government has been attuned to that direction and will always bring DENR to be a part,” he told reporters.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Raul Pasoc said he sent some personnel to check whether there were trees affected by the subdivision of the lots.
“The lot is owned by the city. It’s not a timberland. There are also no reported trees that were cut. I already informed the DENR regional director about this. That really has to be with the city because they own it. If there’s cutting, then we’re the primary agency,” Pasoc said.
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