OWNERS of an allegedly private-owned lot blocked the entrance of Sunrise Village in Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City, insisting that they have been paying taxes for the area.
Joseph Lito Masecampo, one of the owners, said that the temporary barrier was meant to assert their ownership of the lot. He said that the metal barrels that they placed on the road cannot be considered illegal fencing.
“That is very untrue. The purpose why we put that barrier is to call their attention because we have already called for several meetings and they kept on promising,” Masecampo said, referring to the supposed negotiation between them and the homeowners’ association that didn’t push through.
The negotiation, Masecampo said, was that the realty tax would be shouldered by the homeowners’ association considering that the road is used by everybody.
“We are not interested to close that road because we know that the road is very important. But, of course, we have to have compensation as we have been paying taxes religiously,” he said.
Masecampo said that they have been paying the tax for 50 years.
The 144-square-meter lot included a portion of the road in the entrance of the village.
At least five families are residing on the lot, Masecampo said, and all of them understood the owners’ concern.
“In case of emergencies, during fire, where would they go?” he asked.
Barangay Captain Althea Lim issued a cease-and-desist order directing the Masecampo family to “stop your illegal construction/ fence and development until such time you can present your fencing permit and legal requirements of your construction.”
As of yesterday, the temporary barrier has not been removed. Masecampo said that it was not a fence but only a temporary barrier. He said that it would remain at the entrance of the village until their request are given attention.
Miriam Cabaluna, staff of Cebu City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, visited the site to investigate the matter.
As of press time, the road is only passable to pedestrians and motorcycles, not four-wheeled vehicles. Trisikads could not pass through the barrier.
Cabaluna said that Pesquera will call the attention of the homeowners’ association and the Masecampo camp for a meeting to resolve the issue.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get the statement of the association president but he was not home yet.
The police also provided assistance after Pardo Police Station chief, Senior Insp. Robert Lucernas, received a report of an alleged commotion in the area after the barriers were placed.
“Wala nay tension. Naay mga pulis ako gipatambay sa area while ongoing ang fencing sa owner. Ganiha lang guro pagsugod sa wala pa sila ka ask for police assistance (The tension has been resolved. I deployed a police mobile in the area while there was an ongoing fencing by the owner. Maybe at the start, there was a commotion when they haven’t called for police assistance yet),” he said in a text to Sun.Star Cebu.