ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija – The Catholic faithful and members of the militant Alab Katipunan have joined forces to save some three to five hectares of land at Aliaga National High School compound supposedly donated by a landed family for education purposes from being taken by an individual.
Rev. Fr. Danilo Cipriano officiated a Mass at the municipal gymnasium after a protest action recently that called for the intercession of Mayor Marcial Vargas to thwart the claim of a certain Cesar Medina, reportedly an heir of siblings Vicente, Josefa, Amadera and Icasiano Medina who donated the estate in 1945.
Noel Pajarillo, a lay minister, said the hundreds of people who gathered at the gym wanted Vargas and the municipal government to act to preserve that area that was fenced to separate it from the school compound sometime last year.
“But we believe, that Cesar Medina has no personality to claim the land because it was donated by the Medinas under a deed of donation covering seven hectares 66 years ago,” Pajarillo said.
Records, he said, showed that the donation was made to the municipal government for education purposes and was received by then Mayor David Villamin. The notarized document had Gregorio Abul and Meliton Pajarillaga as witnesses.
A school was built on a portion of the donated property fronting the provincial road in 1946, thus leaving the bigger part at the back with no improvement, instead used for the school’s sports activities and hosting of district meets, the group said.
While calling Vargas for help, the group called Alyansa ng Mamamayan laban sa Katiwalian at Abuso sa Aliaga or Maka-Aliaga noted in a manifesto, asked who actually benefits from the land in the present situation.
They noted that there are heavy equipment such as bulldozers parked at the lot.
But Laverne Manangbao, acting municipal administrator, said it was Vargas who was working out for the preservation of the area until some members of the Sangguniang Bayan filed a case in court. “Now, the case is in court,” he said.
The vice mayor was at the town hall at the start of the protest action but Manangbao said she had to leave for official business before the media could get her comment.
“That I would not know,” Manangbao replied when asked about the alleged benefits the Vargases enjoy from the property.
Cipriano said the residents had to hold a protest rally to underscore their position after several attempts to get the government’s support reportedly failed.
Elpedia Andres, school principal, refused to comment on the issue, noting the Department of Education is not a party to the case.
“First, the case is already in court. Then, the land is donated to the municipal government, not to DepEd,” she said.
