Leyte to resort to
legal means to take back Balyuan
|
Leyte
1st district board member Atty. Roque Tiu (holding microphone)
helps shed light on the action taken by the provincial
government of Leyte on the issue of taking back the property
owned by Leyte province now still being occupied and used by the
city government of Tacloban. Looking on (clockwise) are PCL-EV
president Wilson Uy, Leyte 2nd district Board Member Annlie
Apostol, 4th district Board Member Rolando Piamonte and media
host Roy Moraleta, publisher of Headlines. Sitting at the right
side of Atty. Tiu is Leyte 5th district Board Member Carlo
Loreto. (Victoria/Tiozon-PIA 8) |
By
Provincial
Media Relations Center
July 8, 2011
TACLOBAN CITY – The
provincial government of
Leyte will just have to resort to “legal remedies” in taking back
the Balyuan Property.
This was the statement
made by the governor as the questioned property still sits further in
court and with the city government of Tacloban still maintaining its
stand to contest the court’s ruling.
“We just have to go
through all the legal process in taking back the property,” Gov.
Petilla said in an interview as he arrived here Friday together with
Presidential sister Kris Aquino who was in a visit to Ormoc to
formally turn over a classroom she donated to Leyte’s fourth district.
He said that the
matter could just have been “plain and simple” if the memorandum
forged between the two parties in 2004 were adhered to and if only a
court ruling recently issued was respected and obeyed.
“If it’s a property
that’s borrowed, it has to be returned. If it’s not yours, do not own
it kay makaarawod,” Gov. Petilla said.
The governor added
that the province is at the moment being given the option to battle
the issue in court and resort to legal actions as the city further
questions the ownership in court instead of peacefully turning over
the property.
The Regional Trial
Court Branch-8 here dismissed the case filed by the city government of
Tacloban against the provincial government of
Leyte which called for the declaration of nullity of a Memorandum
of Agreement (MOA) entered into by the city and the province and
questions the ownership of the Balyuan Property.
The 16-page decision
issued on June 1, 2011 by RTC Branch 8 Judge Salvador Apurillo
dismissed the case filed by the city for “lack of merit”.
“If they cannot
respect a court decision, why take matters into court when diri man la
ngahaw susundon and respetuhon,” Gov. Petilla disclosed.
Earlier, several
members of the provincial board expressed their interests that the row
between the two local government units could be settled.
The board members
were saying that while going to legal process is one option of the
provincial government, settling the row peacefully could be the best
way to do to end this row.
