HOMEBUYERS of Azzela Properties Development Corp. (APDC) who paid for unbuilt units in Minglanilla, Cebu, have asked the Provincial Government to intervene in their case.
Complainants met with Gov. Pamela Baricuatro on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 to report that the developer, Lloyd Adlawan, has been unresponsive regarding their demand for refund.
They also accused the developer of defying a cease and desist order (CDO) by continuing to sell housing units without permits.
One complainant, Annie Reniva, said Baricuatro assured them she would not tolerate violations affecting homebuyers.
The affected buyers, many of them overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), sent a petition letter to the Office of the Governor and the Provincial Board, seeking the Capitol’s intervention in their ongoing dispute with the developer.
Their appeal was accommodated by the Office of the Governor and the Provincial Legal Office on Monday.
“Our goal was achieved because the governor was generous enough to give us her time, even if it was unplanned,” said Reniva during the Beyond the Headlines, SunStar Cebu’s online news program.
“She empathized with us and assured that she will not tolerate violations, especially those affecting working-class homebuyers and OFWs,” she added.
Reniva, together with fellow complainants Teresita Mejias and Beth Morales, said they continue to demand accountability from the developer Adlawan, who has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
Adlawan earlier promised to appear on SunStar’s Beyond the Headlines, on Oct. 7 and 17, but failed to attend both interviews.
According to Reniva, their group’s months-long review uncovered documents suggesting multiple violations and possible criminal acts linked to the developer and his associates in connection with the APDC projects in Minglanilla.
The homebuyers are calling for justice, accountability, and full restitution of the payments they made for housing units that were never constructed.
Capitol probe
In a message to the media, Provincial Information Officer Ainjeliz dela Torre Orong said while the case is primarily a private concern, Baricuatro has asked the Provincial Legal Office and Provincial Assessor’s Office “to look into” the complaints.
“They went to the Capitol hoping to personally meet with the governor. Although their concern is a private matter, they have already sought help from several government agencies,” Orong said in Cebuano.
“They were hoping, taking their chances, that the governor will be able to help them,” she added.
Orong said the governor also contacted the police to check on the status of complaints previously filed by the buyers and to ensure the matter is
properly investigated.
Findings
A report from SunStar Cebu on Sept. 11 revealed that over 100 buyers had invested in APDC housing projects since 2020, but construction reportedly never began.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development 7 confirmed that APDC had been selling units without permits and continued its operations despite a CDO issued in 2022.
Adlawan previously assured that refunds would be processed and that the Minglanilla project would be completed by 2026.
However, buyers said refund releases have been slow, with minimal progress reported.
SunStar Cebu repeatedly reached out to Adlawan for comment but had to receive a response as of press time. / CDF