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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Environment chief's help sought in lot feud
By Jane Cadalig
BAGUIO CITY -- Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes would be asked to intervene in the investigation on the reported "hasty" approval of the 30-hectare housing lot survey in Itogon.
Provincial Board (PB) Member Aloysius Kato said they decided on the move after officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Land Services Management (LSM) "snubbed" the invitation to attend the PB session on Monday to clarify issues surrounding this contested lot.
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"We will have no recourse but to bring this matter to Secretary Reyes if the concerned officials keep on hiding from us," Kato said.
The PB earlier summoned DENR officials to ask them about the approval of the Itogon lot survey.
The survey is a requirement in the application of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Headquarters Support Group Cooperative to make the 30-hectare property in Ucab, Itogon a housing site for members.
DENR officials snubbed the session, saying the investigation was beyond the PB's mandate.
In a letter, LSM Regional Director Victor Carantes informed the PB that no official from their office would attend the session because of what transpired during their first appearance on January 22.
"The PB members (have) took turns throwing questions, some of which were beyond the competence of those whom these were directed. The honorable members turned the session hall into a haven of political grandstanding and gimmickry giving the impression that there was (no one) honorable in the session hall," Carantes said in the letter.
He added that the board should have extended some respect to DENR officials and treated them with courtesy during the meeting.
Kato, however, said the DENR officials' failure to attend "is a clear manifestation that something irregular is being done within the office."
"Evasion of an issue will not resolve anything. If they still fail to grant our next invitation, the more that we would conclude that something fishy is going on at the DENR," Kato said.
He rejected claims that their investigation is political gimmickry, as this was based on the request of Itogon officials and residents, who sought the PB's assistance in resolving the land dispute.
"There is a petition from the residents duly endorsed by the local government. They sought for an action and the proper action here is to conduct an investigation," he said.
The PB has requested the cancellation of the survey done on the property. (Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (February 15, 2007 issue)
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