IT’S BACK TO SQUARE ONE

RESIDENTS of Sitio Russia in Bonuan Boquig refuse to buckle down despite a Regional Trial Court order issued last week telling them to go back to the negotiating table with officials of the Dagupan City government.

Instead, the residents filed an amended complaint on August 26 before the sala of RTC Judge Genoveva Maramba, reiterating their request for a restraining order against Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and City Engineer Virginia Rosario to relocate them and demolish their illegal structures at the site.

Plaintiffs in the civil case for declaration of nullity of government contract with prayer for temporary restraining order were Bobbylito Marinas, Horacio Santiago, Violeta Carrera, Nenita Cristobal, Jersus Crisologo and Artemio Manuel Jr.

In the original complaint filed by the Sitio Russia Bonuan Binloc Neighborhood Association Inc. last August 11 represented by the same signatories, they only sought the issuance of TRO with prayer for temporary restraining order. In the latest complaint, aside from seeking a TRO, they are also seeking judgment declaring the contract to build the Seafood Processing Plant in Sitio Russia void from the beginning “for being contrary to law and public policy”.

Fernandez, in an interview Friday, said it is the right of residents of Sitio Russia to file a complaint against the city government but they are prepared to answer and is confident about their position on the issue.

He said as far as the city is concerned, it is still pursuing initiatives to relocate residents on a site near and the development plan for the area is now being finalized by the city engineering office.

The appointed relocation area is situated in the Bagong Baryo area in Bonuan Binloc, adjacent to Sitio Russia. This is the site that protesting residents said they preferred as relocation site instead of the Gawad Kalinga Bangusville housing project in Bonuan Gueset.

“First of all, we have to ask for usufruct agreement for the use of that area into a resettlement village park,” said Fernandez, stressing that the land is still public land but the city government may exercise its right as administrator of the land.

The mayor stressed that in pursuing the transfer of the residents in a suitable relocation site, the city will respect human rights adding that no qualified residents will be left out.

He added, however, that the city government would not like to rush blindly into it and will seek to observe all legal requirements to avoid the same legal problems that ensued in pursuing the Seafood Processing Plant project.

Fernandez again met with members of the Task Force on Housing and Urban Resettlement on Thursday to map out plans regarding Sitio Russia and to study its response to the amended complaint filed by residents against him and City Engineer Rosario.

The mayor admitted no timeline is being set for the construction of the Seafood Processing Plant since the process and agreement had been signed and that financial grant from the Korean government of U.S. 2 million has already been allocated.

He stressed that once the processing plant is in place, residents of Sitio Russia will be the first priority for employment, adding that this is except those people who refuse to be productive.—LM

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