Coop asks PB's help in urging gov to sell lot

A cooperative in barangay Kalunasan sought help from the Provincial Board over Governor Gwen Garcia's alleged refusal to sell a 30-square meter provincial lot in the area that the cooperative wanted to buy for its artesian well project.

The PB earlier approved two resolutions endorsing the sale of the lot but Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia said the measures merely authorized, not compelled, the governor to sell the property.

Pablo John said it has been a standing policy of the governor not to sell any provincial lot, and that her reported refusal to sell the property to the cooperative was not due to the alleged rift between the group's head and her two allies.

In a letter sent to Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez, the Langub Kalunasan Multi-purpose Cooperative, accused Gwen of disregarding PB resolution nos. 1383-2003 and 1154-2005.

Engineer Antonio Canoy, president of the cooperative, accused Gwen of impairing the rights of the cooperative to have a source of water supply. He said the lot in question was found best suited for an artesian well.

In 2003, the cooperative installed a 10-horsepower water pump to obtain potable water for the residents in the area. Former vice-governor John Osmeña authored Resolution 1383-2003 authorizing then governor, Pablo Garcia to sell the lot to the cooperative. This was not fulfilled.

This year, another resolution, authored by PB member Juan Bolo, was enacted to amend the previous one by giving the authority to Gwen, as the incumbent governor.

Last February, Canoy wrote Gwen reiterating the cooperative's request to allow it to buy the lot at a price earlier fixed by the provincial appraisal committee. Canoy alleged that his letter remained unanswered.

Then the coop's board of directors submitted a joint affidavit to Gwen lobbying for the sale of the lot. But the governor allegedly refused to execute the deed of sale, they said. - Ferliza C. Contratista