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Thursday, June 29, 2006
Erection of 'world-class' Baguio police office hangs
By Rimaliza Opiña
BECAUSE of impediments involved in the proposed construction of a world-class building at the former site of the city auditorium, the City Council and the City Planning Office on Wednesday advised the Baguio police to instead consider the vacant space between Kayang and Camp Allen as alternative site.
The area, which is adjacent to the present Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), was mulled as alternative site after City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) officer-in-charge Josephine Chan junked the idea of constructing the building in the area, considering that as per the rules set by the Burnham Park Management Authority (BPMA), no vertical structures are supposed to be erected at the park's open spaces.
Chan said allowing the BCPO to construct the P12 million worth building might set a precedent for other entities to request the City Government's approval in the construction of buildings at open spaces of the park.
Planning and Development Coordinator Arturo Orig, on the other hand, said that the construction of a building in the area does not conform to the zoning classification of the area.
City Administrator Peter Fianza, for his part, said that while the Office for Administration does not object to the plan, the area remains to be under the Philippine Tourism Authority's (PTA) management since there are no documents showing that the Burnham Park has been formally turned over to the City Government.
He suggested that the building be constructed near the Lion's Club area instead.
The City Council, meanwhile, is set to draft a letter asking National Police Chief Arturo Lomibao not to pull out the fund intended for the building.
Lomibao reportedly would pull out the budget for the building construction if the City Government does not act on their request until June 30.
On the plan of City Council to pass a resolution asking Lomibao not to withdraw the funds, the city's legislative body decided to write him in view of the coming deadline he set.
The building is supposed to house the main BCPO building and the offices of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea). It will also accommodate a state-of-the-art crime laboratory, a media center, and other facilities that involve the use of modern equipment required in crime investigation.
(June 29, 2006 issue)
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