Talisay CH worker claims village chief harassed him

CEBU, Philippines - A Talisay City Hall worker yesterday told police that the barangay chief of Linao harassed him after he destroyed the fence in his mother-in-law's purported property.

Alexander Gabe, job order employee of City Councilor Dennis Basillote, entered the incident in the Talisay City police blotter, accusing barangay chief Fe Ylanan of harassment.

"Barangay captain sa barangay Linao nang harass ganiha pasado 9:00 sa buntag. Ang insidente nablotter na sa Police Station sa Talisay City," was Gabi's text message sent to The FREEMAN.

But, Ylanan, in an interview with The FREEMAN, admitted she destroyed the bamboo fence that Gabi built just yesterday morning to make way for the construction of the house of Merta Odiso.

Odiso's house, which had been obstructing the barangay road for so many years now has to be destroyed as per agreement of the Odiso family and the barangay.

Ylanan, who is the wife of City Councilor Val Ylanan, said for several years, the people of Linao affected by the closed road, have been appealing to the local government and the barangay to relocate Merta's house.

Ylanan said several administrations had come and gone and it was only during her time that Merta had agreed for a settlement, that they would agree to sell their property to the barangay if the latter could give them a relocation site.

Luckily, Gil Maribao, through his attorney-in-fact Joy Apurado had agreed to let Merta's family construct a house in the 120-square-meter of his property in Linao, said Ylanan.

The lady barangay chief said a memorandum of agreement was already entered into by her being the barangay chief and Apurado allowing for the relocation.

Ylanan said Maribao had agreed to the deal as he being a lot owner will also benefit along with all the residents of the four upland sitios from the clearing of the barangay road.

She said even Mayor Socrates Fernandez was amenable to it that he also agreed to provide housing materials for Merta's new house.

Yesterday, a truckload of sand and gravel sent by the city hall was stuck for a while as the supposed lot where it would be deposited was already fenced.

Ylanan said Gabe, reportedly upon orders of his mother-in-law, Florencia Balingit, immediately built the fence around the 120-square-meter lot.

Gabe lives on the next sitio and was reportedly there to construct the said fence.

"Naa nay agreement ang barangay with the owner of the lot. Giingnan nako si Florencia daan pero gidalidali man dayun nila og construct ang koral," Ylanan said.

The village chief said that she had to destroy the fence so that the sand and gravel would be deposited to the donated lot already.

She said that apart from the agreement already made by the owner, she had all the right to order the removal of the bamboo fence as it had no permit from the barangay.

Also, Ylanan said Balingit is just a tenant, hence, she has no say on Maribao's property.

"Di man pud siya ka-claim nga tenant siya kay wa may mga tanum ang yuta. And besides, dugay na ning na-convert into agricultural. In fact, iya naman gani nang gibayran sa mga tawo nga gustong motukod og yuta diha. Wa gani niya hatagi og bahin ana ang tag-iya," Ylanan said.

Meanwhile, Ylanan said she is willing to face the harassment charges that Gabe threatens to file.

Meantime, Ylanan said she has already summoned Balingit for illegal fencing and Gabe for trespassing. - THE FREEMAN