MAYOR Alipio Fernandez Jr.has reiterated his declaration that his administration is firm in its stand to cancel all tax declarations issued to private individuals now claiming portions of public lands in Bonuan Binloc.

“I don’t even know how these people were able to secure such,” he said.

The tax declarations are now being used by different individuals, most of them affluent and influential, to claim portions of public lands as their own.

The city government has maintained that tax declarations are not documents of ownership but merely proof of tax payments.

“We are firm in our position that the land the complainants/petitioners are occupying is beyond the commerce of man, whether these are inside or outside the land delineated under Proclamation No. 98,” Fernandez said.

A number of claimants sued the City government and Dagupan Electric Corporation when the latter moved to disconnect electricity from their establishments.

The cases are being heard at the sala of Regional Trial Court Judge Genoveva Coching-Maramba. City Legal Officer Mejia and Atty. Juan Siapno, lawyer of the plaintiffs, already figured in a shouting match during their first oral argument before Judge Maramba. Their second oral argument is set at 2:00 p.m. on April 3.

Proclamation No. 98 was issued by then President Diosdado Macapagal in 1964 designating over 72 hectares of land in Bonuan as a reserved area for park and playground, which was later developed as Tondaligan Park.

He said the complainants were issued waivers by the past city administration which was used by them to secure electrical connections with Decorp.

These waivers were withdrawn and cancelled by Mayor Fernandez onthe recommendation of the Task Force on Housing and Urban Poor Resettlement headed by City Engineer Virginia Rosario.

“These waivers are under such conditions that these were issued on temporary basis and once there is a certain need for the land that individuals are occupying, the waivers are automatically cancelled upon advice,” said Fernandez.

He pointed out that the waiver is a self-extinguishing document because of the condition of land ownership.

“They (claimants) must have to give back the lands they are occupying, so the city can utilize these for development,” the mayor added.—LM

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