Calasiao mayor airs his side
CALASIAO Mayor Roy Macanlalay finally decided to air his side disputing claims of the Dagupan City government that he is squatting on government land.
Before the court hearing, he told THE PUNCH that the area he has claimed, consisting of 1,000 square meters more or less, is part of the public domain and therefore alienable and disposable, which the city has no jurisdiction over.
“We in the Bonuan Binloc Coastal Neighborhood Association know the metes and bounds of Proclamation 98, so we know what we are talking about,” Macanlalay said.
He wondered, too, why they are being depicted as land grabbers when in fact they are only just exercising their rights as Filipino citizens, qualified to apply for public lands just like anybody else.
Maintaining that the area where his property is located is alienable and disposable, he said that any Filipino citizen is qualified to apply lands of public domain, pointing out that the law did not specify the status of the citizen who can apply.
“Any citizen can apply but he or she should go through the processes which we are doing now,” Macanlalay said, admitting that his application is now with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office.
Asked why his name was not among those listed to have been issued with Tax Declarations, Macanlalay said the property he is claiming is outside Proclamation 98, maintaining that the city’s jurisdiction is only within Proclamation 98.
However, it was noted that the name of his neighbor, Sandoval, appears in the list of those issued with TDC as certified by the City Assessor’s Office.
“It is the accretion area, outside Proclamation 98, which we are applying for,” Macanlalay clarified.
“We were already there five years ago, and it just happened that it is only now that we have started developing it,” Macanlalay said, referring to the fencing of the property and construction of what looked like a rest house and the ornamentals planted therein.
Macanlalay said he wants to correct the impression that they are grabbing lands that they do not own.
“As Filipino citizens, we are qualified,” Macanlalay said.
“Wala namang restriction dyan na kung mayor ka, hindi ka na puwede.”
On the civil case he filed against the city task force and Decorp, Macanlalay said he resorted to it to protect his rights.
He said the move of Decorp, upon the instruction of the city, is being selective.—LM
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