Bacayan road concreting pushed

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of barangay Bacayan urged the Office of Mayor Michael Rama to resume the implementation of a road concreting project that was temporarily suspended by the city government due to issues regarding the ownership of the road lot.

In a letter to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Philip Zafra, Bacayan Captain Armando A. Borces said there was no basis in the order of the Office of the Mayor to stop the project since the complaint of some residents who claim they own portions of the lot used as a road has no sound proof.

Sitio residents who use the road complained that the delay and sudden suspension of the ongoing project, has caused a lot of inconvenience.

Borces said the barangay was able to submit proof that the road lot subject of the claim of some residents of Joseville Subdivision has already been expropriated by the city government. In fact, a court order was issued in favor of the city government.

“Lot 10-S was expropriated sometime in 1990 by the City of Cebu under Civil Case No. CEB-14560 even before the individual lot owner has bought the lot from the lot owner Carolina Flores,” barangay Bacayan said.

The barangay also was able to provide the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 Writ of Position and Writ of Execution issued in favor of the city government against Flores.

“In the absence of any evidence, Joseville Homeowners Association cannot claim ownership since Lot 10-S is under the name of Carolina Flores who is the respondent to the Civil Case CEB-1456. With the number of years that the case was heard in courts, I believe that the lot owner Carolina Flores was already paid by the city government and that the transfer of title to the city may have been overlooked,” Borces said.

Borces also insisted that most of the members of Joseville Homeowners Association have registered their approval of the road concreting project last September even if they insist that the road is privately owned.

Zafra said that they stopped the project as a precautionary measure since some residents claimed that the road is privately owned.

“Nakadawat mi’g dokumento na gi-expropriate na na sa city government, (We received documents showing that the lot has been expropriated by the city government…) but the documents still have to be checked and evaluated by the legal office,” Zafra said.

Zafra said they only want to make sure that there will be no problem with the ownership before they proceed with the project. He denied that the suspension of the project is politically motivated.

“Di lang ta ganahan na maipit ang city government later, (We just do not want the city government to be caught in the middle later.)” he said.

Borces said there is no alternative road in the area which is why the city expropriated the lot in the past.  (FREEMAN)