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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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