Lim blames media for failed landfill
ALMOST three years after leaving office, former Mayor Benjamin Lim, who is running to reclaim that post next year, continues to wash his hands off the matter of the failed sanitary landfill project in Barangay Awai, San Jacinto.
Lim, speaking at the “Engkwentro sa Lenox” forum last week, pointed to “certain members” of the media whom he blamed for causing the project to be aborted, for “magnifying the problem” in their reports.
He went as far as accusing media members of encouraging and bribing residents in Barangay Awai to protest against the project.
The Lim administration purchased the 30-hectare lot for P16 million in Awai, intending to use it as the sanitary landfill site for Dagupan’s wastes.
The PUNCH reported a P9 million overpricing for the land deal paid to the former mayor’s known business associate, Jose Mariano Cuna, the surprise new owner of the land.
He claimed that he already had prior agreement with the people of San Jacinto to allow the landfill and it was certain members of media that spoiled the deal.
Lim criticized the Fernandez administration for failing to act on the worsening garbage problem in Dagupan.
Lim said if re-elected he will revive the shelved sanitary landfill project.
The City Legal Office had earlier to the city reported that the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board already issued a decision placing the land in question under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for distribution to its tenants after the Lim administration failed to pursue the case.
The new city administration appealed the decision before the DAR regional office but this was dismissed, prompting it to elevate the appeal before the DAR secretary. The appeal remains pending to date.
Records showed that that even before the land was bought by the city government from Cuna, the land was already a subject of litigation between the former owner, Estrella Sangalang, and her tenants.–LM
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
