Map of Cebu. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY — Residents of Badian town in southwest Cebu are asking local officials to remove private beach houses within the 40-meter easement of a resort’s shoreline.
The residents, as well as some tour guides, signed a petition expressing their opposition to the construction of beach houses near the Lambug Beach, which is known for its pristine, white sand beaches.
Before, they said they could easily swim in the sea with their guests and dock their boats. Now, security guards were shooing them away.
Lambug Tour Guide Association president Noel Aragoncillo, in a statement, said new structures deprived tourists of access to a spot in the coastline which has a picture-perfect view.
Businessman Gilbert Yap, who owns a property in Lambug on Tuesday, May 2, filed a complaint against Mayor Carmencita Lumain, Municipal Engineer Vicente Jojie Nillas of the Office of the Building Official, and Manolito Recopelacion of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources for allegedly allowing the construction of “illegal structures” near the Lambug Beach.
In his complaint, Yap requested the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to hold the respondents liable for grave misconduct, inefficiency, and incompetence in the performance of official duties, refusal to perform official duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, among others.
Yap said the construction of structures in the beach front also violated Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 and Presidential Decree 1067 otherwise known as the Water Code of the Philippines.
The Inquirer contacted Lumain by phone but she has yet to respond. Text messages sent to her mobile phone were left unanswered.
Last year, the municipal government of Badian issued a cease-and-desist order to stop the construction of beach houses in the area.
However, residents said the order was not implemented and that the construction of structures blocked access to the Lambug Beach.
Residents appealed to Lumain for the “faithful implementation of the cease and desist order, and the destruction of illegal structures constructed within the 40-meter easement zone.”
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