BBM Witnesses Landmark Deal as Capitol Recovers 19 VisCom Lots

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. witnessed the landmark signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Cebu Provincial Government and the Department of National Defense for the return of 19 additional lots occupied by the Visayas Command (VisCom) in Camp Lapulapu, Brgy. Apas, Cebu City.

Gov. Gwen Garcia represented the Capitol while DND was represented by Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. during the agreement signing at the Mactan–Benito Ebuen Air Base on Monday, Feb. 27.

Under the agreement, DND will give back to the Cebu Provincial Government the titles of 18 lots under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and one of the 13 remaining lots which are to be turned over to Capitol upon the completion of their functional office building in their new relocation sites.

In turn, Capitol will fund the construction of replicated offices and buildings of displaced VisCom units in their identified relocation sites.

The MOA further mandates AFP to turn over the remaining 12 lots to Cebu Province once the functional replication of the identified VisCom structures are completed.

Vice Gov. Hilario Davide III and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino joined the President in signing as witnesses to the agreement.

DONATION REVOKED

In October last year, DND OIC Jose Faustino Jr. and AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro turned over to Capitol the initial 16 parcels of lots with a total area of 17.5 hectares to Capitol after signing a deed of conveyance.

VisCom is the AFP’s unified command in charge of all the Visayas Islands. It has jurisdiction over the Naval Forces Central, Tactical Operations Wing Central, and Military Intelligence Groups, among many others.

VisCom is occupying an 80-hectare property donated by Cebu Province, under then-governor Jose Briones, to the then 3rd Military Area in 1959. The donation, however, came with the condition that the lot ownership would revert back to Capitol once the lot is used for something other than military purposes.

In 1995, provincial government officials revoked the donation after it was found that some parcels of lots have been used as housing site for military personnel and some informal settlers, as well as golf driving range, among others.

In 2005, during Gov. Garcia’s first term, Capitol filed an ejectment case against VisCom at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities to recover the whole property. The case got elevated even up to the Supreme Court. In 2019, the highest court in the land sided with the position of the Cebu Provincial Government and affirmed with finality Capitol’s ownership of the lots.

Capitol, under Gov. Garcia, is looking to develop these prime pieces of lots, located very near the Cebu IT Park, into economic enterprises that would yield a steady flow of revenue in favor of the Provincial Capitol and the Cebuanos. | CL, IPA / Contributed Photos by ABM

Cr: Sugbo News