Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Heated argument stuns councilors By Grace L. Plata
IT WAS but an application for land use reclassification that sent two persons -- the applicant and a representative of community residents -- hurling accusations against each other during Tuesday's City Council session, which left the councilors a bit baffled on how to resolve the issue.
The councilors thus opted to just shelve the application after it seemed the two contenders will not settle down even after one hour of heated argument.
The item on the agenda was for an application for land use reclassification in Barangay Lubogan, Toril District.
The application was for reclassification of a property, which the application claimed is located in an agricultural zone, to an industrial zone to accommodate a crusher plant.
“Supak ko sa iyang application kay kini usa ka bakak. Residential zone ni iyang gusto ipa-convert ug industrial zone. Dili ni agricultural zone (I am against this application because it is one big lie. The land he wants converted is a residential zone and not an agricultural zone as claimed)," said Cirila Valric, who heads residents opposed to the project.
She then showed a certificate coming from the City Planning Development Office issued July 11, 2007 that the lot in question is indeed classified as residential zone.
Valric said the noise coming from the plant is unbearable causing them to lose sleep.
According to Valric, the residents signed a memorandum of agreement with the applicant, MNY Burbe Aggregates and Supply, which specified that the company must put up measures so they would not be affected by activities inside.
"Nagsabot mi na within 45 days nagbutang na sila ug perimeter fence unya ibalhin nila ang machine sa tumoy nga layo sa mga balay pero wala man ni nila tumana maong mag-oppose gyud mi (Our community and the company have agreed that within 45 days of their operation, they will already put up a perimeter fence and that they should place their crushing machine far away from houses. But they did not abide by this agreement and so we are opposing their application)," Valric explained to the body.
She added that the company has been operating for three years but this was the first time they learned that it does not have a permit.
The applicant, MNY Burbe Aggregates and Supply, denied the accusations, saying it has not yet started operation and that the noise that disturbs the neighbors is from the construction process.
Valric refused to budge, prompting the applicant to accuse her of taking the matter personally and of being after some money. Valric shot back, saying the company is the one taking the opposition personally by filing charges of grave threat and harassment against her.
Before the word war could heat up further, the council intervened and asked for a 2O-minute recess after which presiding officer Nilo Abellera approved the motion of housing committee chair Arnolfo Cabling for deferment of the matter.
