Camacho, Chua face raps over land swap
BCS CONTROVERSY RAGES
BAYAMBANG—The legal battle over the raging controversy over the planned permanent transfer of the Bayambang Central School (BCS) to another site through a land swap has led to another case.
This time the tables are turned on Bayambang Mayor Ricardo Camacho and businessman William Chua for alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Filipinas Alcantara, president of the Parent-Teachers Association, filed a complaint against Camacho and Chua before the Office of the Ombudsman on November 24, 2014.
Alcantara cited the relocation of BCS from Barangay Poblacion to Barangay Bical without any consultation with the parents, teachers and students by either school officials or the mayor.
In her complaint, she said the sangguniang bayan of this town adopted a resolution on the basis merely of the September 30, 2013 school principal Danilo Lopez who expressed his desire for the temporary relocation of the school citing problems on dengue and flooding in the old site.
“This is clearly contrary to the laws, rules and regulations on the proper procedure regarding transfer of schools. The power to transfer the location of school vests with the DepEd (Department of Education). The power of the mayor is limited by law to the “construction, repair, and maintenance of elementary school buildings and other structures connected with public elementary school education”, the complaint said.
It added that “In transferring the school without DepEd approval, Mayor Camacho exposed the parents, teachers, students and personnel of the school to a sudden change in location without due notice, consultation or a proper transfer plan. This caused undue injury to all the parties involved.”
It also said that the new location is still owned by Chua who merely allowed the school to use his property as part of an anomalous “land swap” deal.
“Furthermore, it has also been found that the property sought to be swapped is millions of pesos cheaper in value than the old school property,” the complaint said.
Alcantara claimed the said land swap deal is an agreement “grossly disadvantageous to the government”.
“In willfully and feloniously entering into a “land swap” agreement with Mr. Willy Chua, Mayor Camacho bound Bayambang Central School into a forced transfer of location,” the complainant alleged.
The complaint added that the old school lot is valued at P620-million while Chua’s (minus the buildings constructed for the transfer) is worth only P150,000.
The PUNCH tried to reach Camacho through text message and call but did not get reply.–Tita Roces
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