Cojuangco Wants End of Illegal Constrn. in Baywalk, Lingayen Gulf

 Told Guico, DENR, Binmaley Mayor on Land Grabbing

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BINMALEY, PANGASINAN – The Congressman of the Pangasinan 2^nd District requested with dispatch the Department of Environment Natural Resources for a cease and desist order of the senseless construction of human structures in the Binmaley’s Baywalk, the portion of military Camp Andres Malong, and along the stretches of Lingayen Gulf pending determination of the legality of their status.

This was according to the August 7, 2022 letter of Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco to Forester Frank Vincent D. Danglose of the Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) based in Dagupan City.   

Photo is internet grabbed.

The same letter content with the same date was sent by the lawmaker to Binmaley Mayor Pedro Merrera.

“It has come to my attention that portions of Camp Andres Malong located at Barangay (s) Baybay and San Isidro Norte, Binmaley, Pangasinan with a total area of 19, 1479 hectares, is now being illegally occupied by private buildings and other commercial establishments,” excerpt of the letter.

Cong. Cojuangco's letter to Pangasinan Gov. Ramon Guico, III. Photo credit Northern Watch Reporter Arnel Montemayor.

The military reservation was created by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 119 dated December 18, 1936 and a donation executed by Mino Ferrer dated November 25, 1938.

But in the August 21, 2022 letter, an exasperated Cojuangco wrote Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico, III that after two weeks he complained to the DENR and Mayor Merrera the stoppage of the constructions in Binmaley “ has accelerated rather than ceased, until today still occupying Camp Andres Malong and constructions therein are still in progress”.

Cong. Cojuangco's letter to Pangasinan Gov. Ramon Guico, III. Photo credit Northern Watch Reporter Arnel Montemayor.

The solon said that Mayor Merrera had verbally called in August 21 (Sunday) Pangasinan Police Provincial Office Director Jeff E. Fanged to enforce a cease and desist order there.

Merrera, Cojuangco wrote, informed his municipal administrator and lawyer Jen Calamiong to write to the owners of the structures to immediately stop their construction.

 Cojuangco exhorted Guico and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial legislative body) to collaborate with him to the immediate demolition of all these illegal structures.

“It is only through our joint and immediate action that this illegal possession and blatant land grabbing of public land can be resolved,” he said.

The Baywalk particularly became famous in and out of this town for people who patronize the beach houses for rent and the cozy food and entertainment establishments there.