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Monday, October 27, 2003
Mayor cold on offer for relocation site
By Merlyn F. Velarde
"THEY cannot give what is not theirs."
This was the statement issued by Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. in response to the B'laan tribal group's offer to set aside several hectares of land in the disputed former Alcantara ranch in Lanton, Apopong.
However, the mayor also said the City Government would welcome the offer if the claimants of the 923-hectare land would waive in favor of the City Government.
"Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa naibigay ng NCIP doon sa mga claimants ang lupa kaya mananatiling claim pa rin iyan and we still have a chance. But, if ever i-waive ng claimant ito pabor sa siyudad ay welcome sa atin yan," the mayor added. (Until now, the NCIP has not given the land to the claimants, so it will remain a claim and we still have a chance. But, if ever the claimant will waive in favor of the city, we will welcome it.)
Ana Paglangan, wife of murdered head petitioner of Forest Land Grazing Lease Agreement (FLGLA) No. 542 Rolando, said last week that she is willing to donate a portion of their claim to the local government for the city's relocation site.
She further urged the City Government to coordinate with the NCIP and DENR for the possible realization of the said donation.
However, Acharon said the donation would not be realized unless the concerned government agencies resolved the conflict within the property.
"I have already asked NCIP and DENR na bilisan na ang pagresolba sa claim na ito nang sa ganun ay mabigyan na ng katapusan ang problema ng lupa (to expedite the resolution of their claims so that we could put an end to our land problems)," the mayor said.
The former Alcantara ranch has four groups of claimants that include Mola, Pendatun, Paglangan and Dawan clans.
(October 27, 2003 issue)
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