Sun.Star Baguio

City to reclaim slaughter

- Maria Elena Catajan Sun*Star Reporter

ON A move by Councilor Philan Weygan – Allan, a request to the national government was approved by the Baguio City Council to cede to the city the remaining portions of parcels of land at the Slaughter compound.

Allan said there are over P40 million unpaid dues from three leases at the area.

“A letter of communicat­ion has been sent to collect according to the treasurer’s office, but no payments have been made so far,” said Weygan - Allan .

Allan added when the area is ceded to the city, “we will have total control over the area, we can do what we want, and it will be up to us [the city] on what we decide to do.”

Based on the report of

the City Treasurers Office, Anastacio Imson, Dacanay Express and Times Transit have outstandin­g balances that need to be settled.

The resolution has asked President Rodrigo Duterte to cede the remaining portions of the area to the city. When the land is ceded to the city, the government will then move to register it to the name of the city and provide ample area for the Slaughterh­ouse Compound a modernized transporta­tion terminal and satellite market.

Allan also details history of the area starting with Executive Proclamati­on 312 executed April 30, 1930 stating the area was reserved as a sanitary camp and livestock yard and placed under the city`s administra­tion.

On January 31, 1974, Proclamati­on 1228 was signed by former President Ferdinand Marcos excluding from operation certain parcels of land embraced therein and declaring the same open to land dispositio­n under provisions of the Public Land Act.

In July 1971, the City Council passed a resolution authorizin­g the lease of 3,214 square meters to Anastacio Imson and on September of the same year, through resolution­s, the lease of 2,411 square meters of the slaughter house compound to Dacanay Express and Times Transport Company.

On October 1977, the Supreme Court ruled the contact was null and void since the letter addressed to the president to lift a portion of the area to be transferre­d the same in ownership to the City of Baguio has not been acted upon for or against the city and is still pending in the Office of the President.

Another resolution of the City Council in 1987 establishe­d portions of the slaughterh­ouse compound as a city submarket [satellite market] and allocating funds for stalls, toilets and a police outpost.

The city still continues to administer the Slaughterh­ouse compound especially in appropriat­ing funds and personnel as well as leasing portions of the land and transport activities.

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