City blocks drilling work inside village

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City Legal Office ordered the officers of a subdivision in Barangay Casuntingan to stop the deep well drilling works they are undertaking for alleged lack of permits.

Mandaue City Legal Officer Giovanni Tianero signed the cease and desist order addressed to the officers of Greenhills Homeowners Association Inc., Greenhills Subdivision in the said barangay.

Copy of the cease and desist order was made available to The FREEMAN.

As early as October 2004, the City Engineering Office found out that the deep well project inside the subdivision was reportedly done without approved drilling permit issued by the said office.

The Mandaue City Engineering Office issued a notice of illegal drilling against the officers of the said subdivision.

Tianero in his order said that the issuance of drilling permits is presently withheld by the city government, through City Ordinance No. 10-2007-403, to serve as its preventive measure for the imminent contamination and salt water intrusion in the water table within the area.

The city also deemed it necessary to limit private drilling activities so as to monitor and preserve the water resources of the city for the general welfare, said Tianero in his order.

"As you are undertaking the project without procuring the necessary permits from the City Engineering Office, and with the advent of the abovementioned ordinance suspending the issuance of drilling permits, you are hereby ordered to immediately cease and desist from further construction, until you can obtain and exemption from the above said ordinance from the Sangguniang Panlungsod and acquire the necessary permits from the City Engineering Office for the works to be undertaken," said Tianero's order.

Concerned residents of the subdivision reportedly complained of  the alleged illegal drilling citing the failure of the homeowner officers to secure the necessary permits from the city government and other national agencies concerned.

Another complaint was reportedly lodged as well by the concerned residents at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board regional office.

They said the illegal deep well drillings were ordered stopped by the City Engineering Office in 2004, but revived by the homeowners' association officers, the complaint said.

Aside from government permits, the drilling of deep wells also needs clearance from the Metro Cebu Water District, the franchise water distributor in Metro Cebu. (FREEMAN)