The officer-in-charge of the Provincial Environmental and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) stood pat by saying that based on the cadastral survey, the barangay road at Sto Niño, Balilihan, indeed exists.
This position of the DENR official effectively negates the contention of Richli water that the area is a private property.
PENRO Ariel Rica made the clarification during an exclusive radio interview on Nov. 29, 2021 in the Open Forum program hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado.
He said that based on the cadastral survey, there is indeed a barangay road that leads to the area near Bugwak Spring and the facility of the Bohol 1 Electric Cooperative in barangay Sto. Niño in Balilihan town.
He said that before a cadastral map is made, several consultations and notifications will be sent to lot owners.
The issue stems as Richli Water placed a barricade on the barangay road which the company alleges is part of its property that it purchased from the Pajuta Family.
“Ang among findings duna gyud existing [barangay] road didto,” Rica said in the interview.
He added: “Akong klaruhon nga existing gyud ning barangay road regardless of whether or not dunay private owner nga nakapalit o titled property ba o applyanan pa ug titulo, dili na sya mo-matter kay sa cadastral map nga na-approve na indicate man gyud ning barangay road. Kung dunay makapalit ug lote, i-separate na gyud na siya [road].”
It means that the road has been alloted for public access, the PENRO further explained.
Meanwhile, Rica said that during the assembly that happened on Nov. 23, 2021, Mayor Pureza Chatto emphasized that the water that will be drawn from Bugwak Spring will be for the sole consumption of the water consumers residing in the town.
This is in contrast with what Richli Water chairman Richard Lim said in a radio interview that the local government unit of Balilihan plans to sell water drawn from Bugwak Spring to another private water utility company.