• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Some 112 families occupying a property donated to the provincial government of Negros Occidental in Barangay 39, Bacolod City are up for eviction.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has confirmed that the province issued a final notice to vacate to the affected families on Oct. 30.
Lacson recalled that the first notice to vacate was ignored by the residents.
In 1954, the Lizares family donated the land to the Negros Occidental High School for the purpose of establishing a school garden.
It was not followed since several national and provincial government offices were constructed in the area.
“Definitely, that was a violation of the deed of donation (DOD),” the governor said.
In 2012, the Lizares family filed a case for the cancellation of the DOD, which received a favorable decision from the court in 2021.
Lacson said that the Lizares family and the provincial government under his administration came up with a compromise agreement of retaining the 1.1 hectares already occupied by the government agencies while the remaining 7,000 square meters will be returned to the Lizares family.
The condition set by the Lizares family is that the 7,000 square meters to be returned to them should be free of informal settlers.
“That’s precisely why we sent notices. We have to comply with the terms and conditions of the settlement with the Lizares family,” Lacson said.
He added that the provincial government will extend financial assistance to the affected families when they leave the area. | GB
