We all love newly built public infrastructures, especially when they make our life easier. This is not the case for the owners of two houses in Pampanga as they refuse to accept the compensation and leave their homes, leaving a new bridge unusable.
The San Jose Panlumacan Bridge is still a brand-new bridge located over the San Fernando River in Pampanga. It is supposed to connect villages in San Fernando and Mexico town. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) spent Php 25 million pesos to build this 27-meter bridge.
Sadly, the bridge remains unusable as there are two house standing in its path. Owners of the said houses refuse to leave and accept compensation as they continue to contest the zonal valuation given by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), as well as the appraisal made by the government bank.
According to a report, documents show that the courts have already favored the DPWH in the expropriation cases filed regarding the properties.
Branches 43 and 44 of the San Fernando Regional Trial Court have issued writs of possession in 2019, notices to vacate in 2020, and writs of demolition in February this year.
“We went through the proper expropriation process,” said Isabelita Manalo, deputy chief of the project.
featured image courtesy of inquirer.net
