Well, this is getting more and more interesting. According to the municipality of Tuba's official records, Congressman Nicasio Aliping Jr. does not own any property in the Mt. Sto. Tomas watershed and forest reserve. Carmelita Samonte, an employee at the municipal assessor's office stated that Tuba's treasury and real property records don't indicate that Aliping has any property there.
Instead, the 5-hectare area where the road project was conducted was registered as land claims of Felimon Coyupan and Rosalie Leistner. Feling de Leon, Coyupan's daughter has stated that Aliping bought his father's property. Lesitner's property was also allegedly bought by the solon.
This development muddles the case
even more. And more lies by Aliping being exposed. It can be recalled
that weeks ago, Aliping mentioned on TV Patrol Northern Luzon that
the road project in Mt Sto. Tomas was by his brother currently residing
in the United States. However, several media reports stated that the
Congressman himself owns the property in Sto. Tomas. And that he has a
resort being developed there.
Which
is which? What is really the truth? Making matters worse is Aliping's
continued silence on the issue. He even failed to attend two technical
conferences wherein decent discussions should've been held between him
and the concerned agencies. However, the fact remains that hundreds of
trees have been either cut or burned. The road project cut through
mountain slopes opening them up for possible erosions. And sources of
water for communities in Baguio City and Tube were either damaged or
polluted. In fact, the Baguio Water District said that two of the
springs that were damaged can no longer be restored to their original
state because they've been permanently damaged.
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| A portion of the road project in Sto. Tomas. Photo by the Cordillera Conservation Trust |
