Wednesday, May 28, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
MALAY, Aklan: The local government will stand firm that the moratorium covers only the new applications for building and construction permits in Boracay and will not ask hotel owners with permits to stop construction in the island.
Councilor Rowen Aguirre said it is clear in Resolution No. 42 or “Resolution calling for a moratorium on the issuance of permits to new construction of structures/buildings for commercial or residential purpose in Boracay Island for six months” what the intention of the moratorium is and they will abide by it despite the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) having filed a graft complaint against Mayor Ceciron Cawaling.
The Sangguniang Bayan of Malay enacted the resolution on September 26, 2007 to give way to the completion of the new master development plan for Boracay. The resolution was implemented on January 2, 2008 and is expected to expire on July, unless the Sangguniang Bayan extends it.
The DENR on May 15, 2008 filed anti-graft and corruption charges against Cawaling before the Office of the Ombudsman for failing to control the construction in Boracay Island.
DENR Undersecretary for Administration, Finance and Legal Mary Ann Lucille Sering personally filed a four-page complaint for violation of RA 3019, EO 292 and RA 6713, wherein municipal engineer Elizer Casidsid, resort developer Rafael King and the board of directors of J. King and Sons Company Inc. are also included.
DENR Secretary Lito Atienza said Cawaling is not following the moratorium issued by his own municipal board and continues to abuse his authority by “allowing the reclamation of mangroves, wetlands and other areas which should not be touched.”
“If you go to Boracay today, constructions are in full swing. I saw this myself,” Atienza stressed.
Aguirre explained that J King and Sons could continue its construction because their building permit was issued before the implementation of the moratorium. He added that even the other property owners who were able to secure permits before the moratorium are not covered by the ban.
Aguirre further said that the local government issued necessary permits to J King and Sons because the developer was able to complete the requirements.
On the issue of wetlands, Aguirre said the DENR must classify natural wetlands. He stressed that they allowed the said developer because there is no classification that the place is a wetland.
Documents from the office of Richard King, chairman and CEO of J King and Sons, claim that based in the tax declaration of the land in 1948 by previous owner Simplicio Gelito, the land was classified as “cocal” or coconut land. In 1998, it became a tourist zone under the registration of the second owner Rosario Garcia. -- Ira Karen Apanay
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