LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government issued a show cause order to the administration of the Pines City Doctors Hospital and its developer on the ongoing installation of a gate that will restrict the movement of residents going to and from Cogcoga.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda stated that the area where the gate is being installed by the developer is actually not the area where the same must be installed based on the fencing permit issued by the municipal engineering office.
He said that the municipal government will be constrained to facilitate the demolition of the gate being installed by the developer once it fails to justify its construction since this is not within the area for which a fencing permit was issued by the concerned office as the same is considered illegal construction.
Further, he claimed the municipal government is also coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways–First Benguet District Engineering Office (DPWH-FBDEO) for the issuance of a certification that the area where the gate is being erected is within the road-right-of-way so that appropriate steps will be undertaken to prevent its completion.
According to him, the developer reportedly demolished the concrete fence it earlier constructed in the area that restricted the residents of Cogcoga in moving in and out of the area.
Mayor Salda explained that the fencing permit issued to the developer was for the construction of a fence within the boundary of its property and that of a private individual in the area and not within the area where the hollow block fence was earlier constructed, thus the concerned party must justify why it is now constructing a gate within the area that was not actually permitted.
He stipulated the municipal government is also waiting for the decision of the court on the petition they filed praying for the issuance of the temporary environment protection order (TEPO) against the developer stopping it from introducing developments within its property located above the fenced off area as these caused a mudslide during the height of Tropical Storm Maring last year causing cutting of traffic along the stretch of Km. 3 to Km. 4 along the Halsema Highway for around four to five hours.
He assured the affected residents of Sitio Cogcoga that the municipal government is doing its best to remedy the situation for them to have free access from the main highway to their respective residences without facing tremendous hustle by passing through the fenced off area.
The mayor admitted that it is unfortunate that representatives of the developer are not attending the scheduled hearings by the court on the petition for the issuance of the TEPO filed by the municipal government further delaying the judgement on the said prayer but efforts are being done to ensure the issue will pass through the process to compel the developer to abide by the rules and regulations governing the implementation of their subdivision project and the construction of the fence to protect their private property.