The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Ariel Rica said on Dec. 14, 2021, that he is standing firm on what he has said about the issue regarding the existence of the barangay road in barangay Sto. Niño, Balilihan.
In a radio interview over Open Forum hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado, Rica said his pronouncements are based on the cadastral map which is the result of the cadastral survey.
Rica also confirmed that Richli Water sent a letter complaint each to the regional executive director of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Paquito Melicor Jr. and to Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu. The Ombudsman was also given a copy of the letters.
Rica bared that the letters basically are saying that allegedly his actions on the issue are illegal.
Nonetheless, he is ready to face any charges and these things come with the territory as a PENRO.
Rica made the statement also over Open Forum a couple of weeks ago saying that there is indeed a barangay road leading to the Bugwak Spring.
However, the Pajuta family disputes the cadastral survey saying the barangay road is part of their land holding and they have not donated the lot to the government in order to be converted into a barangay road.
Rica said the inclusion of the area in the cadastral survey as a barangay road underwent a tedious process. This is the reason he is standing by the results of the cadastral survey.
The issue stems from the placement of Richli Water of a barricade on the road leading to Bugwak Spring claiming that the area is a private property and included in the land it purchased from the Pajuta family.
The road is the one being used by the local government unit (LGU) of Balilihan to lay its pipes for the town’s waterworks system.
Richli Water maintains that it will allow the pipes to pass through only if there would be an agreement saying the water drawn by the LGU from Bugwak Spring shall be only for the town’s consumers.