Relocation site: Lot eyed by Mandaue City is also submerged - Fortuna

CEBU, Philippines - A piece of property that the Mandaue City Government has eyed as relocation site for those living in identified danger zones is also underwater.

Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said yesterday that the matter is another “Baliligate” case in the offing. He was referring to the controversial purchase of the Balili property in Naga by Capitol and the now infamous Watergate scandal that resulted to the resignation of US President Richard Nixon.

Fortuna said that this is the reason why the council, which is mostly composed of members from the opposition, revoked the authority it gave Mayor Jonas Cortes to enter into an agreement with the owner of the property.

The 6.5-hectare property in barangay Pakna-an is owned by Dennis Lua.

Fortuna said that had the council not stopped the deal, the city would have ended up buying a property, which it owns based on a provision of its charter.

The vice mayor said that based on the investigation conducted by the committee on socialized housing chaired by Councilor Editha Cabahug, the area which is located in barangay Paknaan is a 6.5 hectare lot valued at P195 million based on a zoning value of P3,000 per square meter.

However, the lot owner has allegedly offered the lot to the city for P100 million.

Upon review of the title the committee found out that there is an adverse claim on the title considering that the said property belongs to the city.

The Mandaue City Charter (Republic Act 5519) has a unique provision that states that the city’s foreshore lands are owned by the city government.

In other local government units, foreshore lands are owned by the national government.

However, Edmund Sanchez the project consultant of the mayor, earlier said that the court has already lifted the adverse claim. 

Sanchez owns one of the lots that the City Council claims to be foreshore land and, as such, according to the city’s charter, belongs to the city.

However, Fortuna has reiterated that the property belongs to the city and said that there was an intention to mislead the council when they only attached a title without the adverse claim and this also among the reasons why they withdrew the ratification of the contract. — Flor Z. Perolina/NLQ   NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)