A complaint has been lodged with Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto against Barangay Rosario Chairman Aquilino dela Cruz Jr. for allegedly constructing an unauthorized multi-purpose hall encroaching on private property owned by Industrial Enterprises Inc. (IEI).
In a letter dated February 20, 2025, IEI’s lawyer, Atty. Ramon Remollo, accused Dela Cruz of rejecting the company’s fencing permit application, despite IEI’s documented ownership of the land on which the two-storey structure stands along Int. A. Rodriguez Avenue, Rosario, Pasig City.
According to Remollo, Dela Cruz’s refusal appeared to be motivated by concerns about the possible demolition of the section of the hall situated on IEI’s property.
The lawyer cited affidavits from IEI representatives, Henry Collado of DNC Engineering Services and Juan Q. Alog, who attested that Dela Cruz instructed his staff to withhold the fencing permit unless the multi-purpose hall on IEI’s land was excluded.
A Pasig City Building Official certification confirmed that the multi-purpose hall was constructed without a building permit.
Landowner Aida Sy expressed frustration, revealing that while Dela Cruz approved a demolition permit for IEI on March 7, he denied the fencing permit using the same set of application requirements. Sy interpreted this as a blatant abuse of authority, pointing to Dela Cruz’s alleged condition that IEI exclude the encroaching multi-purpose hall to secure the permit.
“Paano nangyari na the same applicant, the same set of requirements, the same property and location, Dela Cruz granted demolition permit while he denied fencing permit. This only bolsters that the affidavit of our people, saying that he refused to issue fencing permit if we will not exclude the portion where he built the Multi-Purpose Hall encroaching in our property,” Sy stated.
“It is a clear case of a barangay official’s abuse of power and authority,” she added.
“’Yung pera ng bayan ay hindi dapat gamitin sa isang private property, alam niya ‘yan. It reeks of irregularity. Moreso that he did not obtain a building permit. We cannot have officials like that. It is a disservice to the public.”
Mayor Sotto’s office has yet to comment on the issue.#
