Mayor warns Chatto of consequences

A subdivision plan of Gov. Edgar Chatto to be built within the airport site has made City Mayor Dan Neri Lim frantic warning that it could trigger a new unrest in the area. “Even before the airport project can even begin, they now want to sell land inside the airport site,” the mayor said during his weekly radio program “Ang Mayor Sa Dakbayan” aired live over Station DyTR. The mayor made the revelations, citing a communication sent by Chatto to Panglao Vice Mayor Evangeline Lazaro. In his letter to Lazaro dated April 26, Chatto asked the vice-mayor’s favorable endorsement to Resolution No. 1, series of 2012 of the Local Project Management Team of the New Bohol Airport Development Project (NBADP).

According to the letter, the said resolution is “recommending and requesting the Housing Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to prioritize the approval of the Subdivision Plan and Issuance of License to sell of properties within the (NBADP) site based on Approved Plan by DENR”. “In relation herewith, it is most respectfully requested that a Resolution be adopted by that Honorable Sangguniang Bayan favorably endorsing the subject NBADP-LPMT Resolution No. 1 s. of 2012 to HLURB, Regional Office No. 7, Cebu City to facilitate the needed action and approval of said agency,” Chatto said in his letter to Lazaro. Chatto emphasized that the subdivision plan will cover the “resettlement site” of qualified families or lot owners affected by the project which area has also been identified and approved by the Project Management Unit.

To ensure the smooth implementation of the project, Chatto said Lazaro’s “urgent and favorable action” is “highly appreciated”. Lim questioned the move to sell properties “within” the NBADP without informing the previous lot owners about this. “Who made the decision to move the site of the airport? Who made the decision to build a subdivision in the airport site? These are only some of the questions that they need to answer,” the mayor added. Lim pointed out that many of the original lot owners were not inclined to sell their lands but were only prevailed upon because they thought it was going to be used in the airport project. “If you were in their place, how would you feel when they hear that their land is going to be sold to build a subdivision?” he asked. The mayor dared Rep. Rene Relampagos to initiate a move in Congress to look into these recent developments concerning the airport project. He, however, expressed reservations that Relampagos would do this considering the long history of their political alliance. The mayor warned that if Chatto pushes through with the plan to move the airport site and build a subdivision in the old site, he should expect a flurry of cases from incensed lot owners.