CALASIAO – Is it about official extortion or plain implementation of the zoning ordinance?

This suspicion arose when the municipal council has sought to stop the construction of a gas station in barangay Talibaew.

But Councilor Manny Datuin quickly denied the allegations that “grease money” were the reason why the Sangguniang Bayan is seeking to stop the construction of the gas station.

Datuin said an investigation earlier conducted by the SB found that the owner of the gas station violated ordinances, particularly its construction in an area prescribed as residential.

He said the council’s move was prompted by protests of residents of Talibaew who resisted the construction since their area has been declared a residential zone.

Evidently, the gas station was issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources even without an endorsement certifying to the conversion of the area from residential to commercial. 

The SB maintains it did not grant any request for conversion of the property from residential to commercial.

But the owner had argued that there was no need to seek approval for land conversion because the town’s zoning ordinance passed in 2000 which declared all lots beside the highway as commercial.

      Clarifying that he is one town official who will not discourage an investment in the town, Datuin said it is also malicious to impute that the SB was plainly extorting money when it acted to stop the construction. – APE

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