SIKATUNA.- The construction of a multi-million-peso cockpit at barangay Abucay Norte, near the Sikatuna Tree Park, has been questioned by some residents in this landlocked town. Sources said the construction has no building permit and other documents. A source said the building was constructed right smack into farmland and it was in accordance with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of the town. Sought for his comments, municipal engineer Leoncio Casia said in his text message that the building permit is still “under process.” He did not give further details of the project construction. Efforts to contact Mayor Jose Ellorimo for comments proved futile yesterday since his two mobile phone numbers just kept on ringing but yielded no answer.

According to some residents, the lot in question was owned by a certain Boning Dahunog and bought by the person identified only as one “Ryan.” “Ryan” who is said to have a breeding facility at barangay Sambog, Corella town, bankrolled the construction. He got a business partner identified as one Aida Hilot, who is a resident here and is the one running the affairs of the cockpit project, according to the source. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that if ever the lot where the construction is taking place and classified as agricultural then there should be land conversion process that should be followed. Having that classification, the DENR will then endorse it (land conversion) for approval and it should secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to be issued by the DENR. ECC is a set of conditionalities prior to construction of the cockpit project along with other pre-requisites such as building permit. (RVO)