March 29, 2024

Mayor Romeo Salda of La Trinidad, Benguet has issued a cease-and-desist order to Pines City Doctors’ Hospital Inc. for its fencing activity at Sitio Cogcoga, Pico without the necessary permits.

Salda, in an omnibus order issued June 23, has ordered PCDH through its authorized representative Antonio Anaban, Jr. to stop its fencing activities for the lack of locational clearance and fencing permit in the area.

The PCDH was also directed to explain within three days of receipt of the order the reason for its fencing activity wherein its developer put up the hollow block fence, blocking all vehicles from entering while only allowing a narrow entrance for residents to enter.

Residents of Sitio Upper Cogcoga earlier complained to the mayor of the closure by PCDH through its hired personnel of the primary road access going to their place on June 11.

The location of the fenced area is classified as a road lot, according to the Municipal Planning and Development Office and the Municipal Engineering Office.

Salda cited Section 50 of Presidential Decree 1529 or the Property Registration Decree:  which states: “Except by way of donation in favor of the national government, province or city or municipality, no portion of any street, passageway, waterway or open space so delineated on the plan, shall be closed or otherwise disposed of by the registered owner, without the approval of the Court of First Instance of the province or city, in which the land is situated.” 

The mayor has required the PCDH to apply for locational clearance and fencing permit before resuming its fencing activity within 60 days of receipt of the order.

The municipal council supported the action of the mayor through a resolution.

“For more than three decades, the road-right-of-way which serves as the only access road to Sitio Cogcoga of Barangay Pico was freely used by the residents without any controversy,” the resolution stated.

The council added that public funds were infused for the construction and improvements of the road through the years without any protest from an adverse claimant. – Ofelia C. Empian