Moreno hits ‘inaction’ on request to buy 10 hectares

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

MAYOR Oscar Moreno on Monday hurled brickbats at the city council over its alleged inaction on his request for authority to buy a 10-hectare property in Lumbia for families who survived the onslaught of typhoon “Sendong” four years ago.

Moreno sharply criticized the Padayon Pilipino-dominated city council, and called the majority members “walay kalooy ug walay pagbati sa mga biktima sa bagyong Sendong nga wala pay mga  balay hangtud karon.”

Councilor Alexander Dacer however lashed back at Moreno, and said the reason why the council’s committee on subdivision and landed estate has not acted on the mayor’s request was due to lack of details.

He said the city council was asked to authorize the release of P26 million to buy the property.

Dacer said the land owner, Rizal Gabor, snubbed his committee, and only a broker showed up.

Moreno earlier sought a city council authority for the purchase of Gabor’s 10-hectare property. His plan was to build at least 772 houses for Sendong survivors.

He said the city council merely gave him authority to sign a memorandom of agreement with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and not an authority to buy Gabor’s property.

Moreno said city hall needs the authority to buy the property because it is a requirement for Japanese aid. In 2013, he said, the Japanese government pledged to give construction materials on condition that city hall provided a resettlement site.

He said the Japanese gave the government only until Dec. 1 to provide the property. If city hall fails, he said, the Japanese aid would be given to survivors of typhoon “Lando” in Luzon.

“Yuta nalang gyud ang atong kulang kay kon na-a nay atong yuta, dad-on na dayon ang mga mga materyales dinhi sa Cagayan de Oro gikan sa Vietnam,” Moreno said.

Councilor Dacer, for his part, said there were “big problems” when it comes to Gabor’s property.

He said a part of the property is a timberland,  and its has a farm-to-market road.

“Dili pa klaro kon pila gayud ang sukod anang yuta-a kay alang-alang apilon  nato ug palit kanang dalan ug timberland,” he said.

Dacer said his committee could also not pursue discussions on the matter because Gabor has never shown himself to answer queries.

“He snubbed me, and so, I snubbed him, too. We ended up snubbing each other,” said Dacer. “Dili man mahimo nga broker ra ang motunga sa akong committee kay kanang broker, mag-overprice man kana sila aron na-a poy ila.”

He said the broker told him that Gabor’s property could be sold at P265 per square meter. Dacer however said the buying price in Lumbia was P200 per square meter.