Guv to Sue Land Grabbers at the Coast of Lingayen Gulf

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A pugnacious Pangasinan Governor told reporters that he would sue in court the business establishments and residential owners who appropriated the shore and coast lines that snake from Lingayen, Binmaley and to San Fabian towns.

“O ito ha! Kakasuhan namin ang dapat kasuhan. Biro mo? Oo, nagpapaupo lang sila ng somebody for the purpose of bibigyan ng tax dec (declaration) tapos wala na iyon,“disclosed by Ramon Guico, III to reporters who converged recently in his office.

LAND GRABBERS. Pangasinan Governor Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III (facing camera) unloads his sentiments to the members of the fourth estate on the proliferation of illegal structures where land grabbers appropriated for themselves the foreshore and the coastline of the towns of Lingayen, Binmaley and San Fabian. PHOTO: Mortz C. Ortigoza

With the audacity of the land grabbers, he dared them to charge him in court if they think his resolved to flush them out on the land they illegally occupied have violated their Rights to Property.

“Well wala silang magagawa kahit magsampa kayo ng kaso sa korte sige lang. Ako hinahamon ko na sila”.

Guico said the countless of squatters who allocated among themselves parcels of lands in those three towns, only three individuals who lived in San Fabian have tenurial instruments.

Tenurial instruments are leases, permits, agreements, joint venture or production sharing agreements, and licenses concerning the development, exploration and utilization of the country's natural resources. 

“Lahat iyon wala! Zero! Iyan lang dapat may karapatan diyan dito sa malaki na binabakurang PNP. PNP ang may ari niyan hindi kung sino mang opisyal. PNP ang may karapatan diyan!”.

The Governor will confer with Pangasinan 2^nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco how to solve this nagging problem when asked if he would request a congressional hearing on the travesty of the public land.

“Magkakaroon. Humingi ako na pag-uusapan namin ni Congressman Mark. Ako palaban na ako dito because Lingayen is the Capital Town. Tapos binaboy nila ng ganyan. Pinagkikitaan nila ang lupa kung ano ang pinagtatayo nila”.

Guico was not deterred on the backlash to his political career because most of the land grabbers and their families are not voters of the Province of Pangasinan.

“Alisin ko kayo para ang mga kababayan ko na walang trabaho sila ang makinabang diyan”.

He wanted to replace the illegal settlers with malls of big corporations like SM and Ayala by enticing them to put shops by goading them with the tenurial instrument where they can lease the area up to 30 or 50 years.

FAMOUS entertainment and food houses in the Baywalk in Lingayen and Binmaley, Pangasinan are (from top left and clockwise): The Yellow Beach Villas, El Puerto Marina Beach Resort & Spa, Bali-Bali Beach Bar, Above Sea Level Bar and the The Yellow Beach Villas. 

“May pumapasok na income may trabaho na nag gi generate sa mga alienable and disposable (lands) diyan natin itayo ang mga pabahay para ma issuehan sila ng title. Ito wala! Walang binabayaran iyan,” he assailed those who illegally appropriated the foreshore and the coast lines there.

He could however make a compromise with the squatters where they could stay as long as they would recognize that the situs of their properties are owned by the government.

Guico wanted too to spruce up the makeshift cottages that proliferated in the areas by constructing a more attractive and conducive open park.

“E organize natin ito na maging coop may revenue pa rin e di ang coop ang makinabang shared by everybody. Hindi lang iyong iisang tao dadalawang tao. Ang ayaw na ayaw ko kasi iyong parang nangungutong “akin iyan, ito!”.

Rep. Cojuangco exhorted Guico and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial legislative body) in a letter sent last August 2022 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 Lingayen and Binmaley for people who patronize the beach houses for rent and the cozy food and entertainment establishments like Tres Marias Sports Bar & Resort, The Yellow Beach Villas, Above Sea Level, Bali Bali Beach Bar, Norseman, Purok, El Puerto Marina Beach Resort & Spa and others.