FINALLY, the Sangguniang Panglunsod of Dagupan City has asked the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) to check on the alleged rampant illegal selling of parts of the Tondaligan National Park.  

     Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, the city council’s presiding officer, called on PENRO officer Rogel Pimentel to write a letter to all private persons or entities that were issued with certificates of alienability and disposability to inform them that the city government is the future legal possessor of all accreted lands in barangay Bonuan Binloc, near the Lingayen Gulf.

     Fernandez said the city government is in the process of legally acquiring all accreted lands in the area, hence the stay in the property by those who were issued certificates of alienability and disposability is considered illegal. 

     He further pointed out that the use of these certificates in obtaining tax declarations from the city assessor’s office is illegal.

     “This makes them illegal occupants because in the first place they cannot apply for portions of land that is alienable and disposable since this classification only covers properties that are classified as agricultural,” said Fernandez.

     Pimentel clarified that the DENR cannot issue any certificate of alienability and disposability to such properties since only the national government and the city government could legally apply for miscellaneous lease agreements (MLA).

     He, however, stressed that any private entity or corporation has the right to apply to own any portion of accreted lands but added that this is dependent on the section and area of the property. 

     These areas include those covered by low and high tide sections as long as these are identified as accreted land based on the regulations and requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

     Pimentel said though accreted land is considered as public land, people can apply for a part of the property by first securing a clearance from the city government. 

     He added, however, that since the city government had already applied for the MLA for the accreted lands in the Bonuan area, the city will therefore will be the future legal possessor of this property as soon as its application is approved by the DENR secretary.

     Pimentel, who was invited by the city council to shed light on the reports published in The PUNCH and the comments of Atty. Gonzalo Duque in his column “Playing with Fire”, said a private corporation could also apply for MLA but with the consent of the city government and the national government.

     “It is only the secretary of DENR who has authority to sign for any long-term tenural instrument such as the MLA,” Pimentel pointed out.

     Fernandez had raised the issue about a private entity applying for a portion of the land for which will later be declared as an agricultural land. 

     Councilor Farah Marie Decano asked Pimentel to also provide the city council with the list of entities that were given certificates of alienability and disposability, particularly inside the 33-hectare land covered by the city’s MLA application.

     Moreover, Pimentel was also asked to furnish the city council a copy of the history of titled lots that cut through Tondaligan Park and the reason why owners of the same since 1952 were issued certificates of alienability and disposability.

     The city council also requested the presence of representatives from City Assessor’s office in its next session to answer some queries concerning the cancellation of tax declarations earlier issued to private entities.

     The city government has received a resolution from the city council opposing any miscellaneous of application of lease by any entity in the said area. –AQL

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments