Golez files resolution vs BF Homes developer

MANILA, Philippines - Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez, who spearheaded a rally yesterday against a Las Piñas judge who blocked the laying of water pipes in BF Homes subdivision, has filed a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the subdivision developer.

The deputy minority leader said he filed House Resolution 1078 condemning the “interference” of BF Homes Inc. (BFHI) in the “excavation (or) construction works to put up a water distribution network being undertaken by Maynilad Water Services Inc.” to solve the subdivision’s water problem, which is more than 20 years old.

“The problem here is what I perceive as greed on the part of (BFHI), which failed to perform their public service mandate and now wants to indecently benefit from the windfall of water from Maynilad,” he said, referring to the BFHI’s failure to fulfill its promise to provide water on tap for its residents.

Until Maynilad was stopped by an injunction last July, it was laying pipelines at El Grande BF Homes, Golez said.

The BFHI secured an injunction from Judge Raul Villanueva of the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 255 to restrain Maynilad from laying the pipelines.

Asked to comment on the issue, a court staff said Villanueva has been on leave since Friday.

Nelson Lacambra of Parañaque City’s media bureau said the court issued the injunction last July and this will take effect for an indefinite period of time.

He said UBFHAI members are discussing plans to go to the Supreme Court and file a petition so that the injunction could be lifted.

Golez said he will support and join the BF Homes residents’ move to file “an administrative case against the judge.”

BF Homes is the largest subdivision in the country, with more than 10,000 homes divided into 72 gated enclaves. It cuts across the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa.

Golez said he has been “in constant close coordination” with Maynilad president Rogelio Singson and Maynilad-Parañaque manager Reggie Cruz.

Angry residents boil over

More than 5,000 members of the United BF Homeowners’ Association Inc. (UBFHAI) staged a rally yesterday to protest a move by the BFHI to prevent Maynilad from providing water to residents.

Wearing white shirts that read, “Tubig na, nawala pa (we had water, now it’s gone),” the rally participants marched from Aguirre Avenue going to UBFHAI Park on Banzon Street where they held a short program condemning BFHI.

Some of the residents put up banners and streamers that read, “Buti pa ang kabayo may tubig, kami wala (Horses have water, we don’t).”

The BFHI is reportedly owned by businessman-sportsman Albert “Bobby” Aguirre, but a check with the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed that there was no company registered by that name.

Unconfirmed reports state that Aguirre allegedly houses his horses at a certain part of the subdivision.

Diana Quiros, president at one of the enclaves, said they “want to send a message to the concerned, particularly the officials of BFHI, to finally allow Maynilad to address the water supply problem in the city by conducting repair activities.”

She said something concrete must be done immediately. “The residents in coordination with the city government is willing to pay for the services Maynilad will render. We are optimistic we can come up with something as to terms of payment that all parties will agree on,” she said.

City gov’t to flex muscle

Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. said he will exercise police power and invoke general welfare to back up Maynilad’s pipe-laying activities.

“It will just take one Sangguniang Panglungsod resolution so that the city government is finally given authority to exercise police power over situations where residents continue to suffer for the lack of basic necessities such as water,” he said.

It will reportedly take the city council two weeks to pass such a resolution.

“The city government can step in and do the digging and pipe-laying if Maynilad will request it,” Bernabe said, adding that the action they will undertake is still within the bounds of the law.

He added he will also check on reports that BFHI has not been paying real property taxes for the roads right-of-way in BF Homes. “If they have been delinquent, the property can be auctioned off,” Bernabe said.            – With Pia Lee-Brago