HLURB-Cordillera office paralyzed due to 2 bosses

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Transactions at the Housing, Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) in the Cordillera are now being acted upon since two lady officials are jockeying for the position of regional director even with the pendency of a case before the Regional trial court Branch 3 here.

The confusion in the said office came after Teresita Galacgac, reportedly assumed office as the new head of the agency and wrote the Land Bank of the Philippines in the city informing the bank that she is now the new signatory to their existing account.

However, embattled HLURB-Cordillera regional director Rebecca Torres, who was ordered to assume her post as the new head of the agency in Region I, also wrote the bank notifying them that she should still be the recognized signatory to their account since Judge Fernando Vil Pamintuan has not yet ruled on her motion to reconsideration, thus, the previous status quo order issued by the court remains in full force and effect.

At present, the clients of the agency are now confused on which of the two existing HLURB officials to obey as both of them now insist they are the legitimate heads because of some reasons or another.

The impasse at the HLURB-Cordillera is a clear indication of the lack of compassion on the part of higher authorities in the re-assignment of their people to sensitive positions.

Earlier, Torres petitioned the court to cited lawyer Romeo Fabol, HLURB chief executive officer, for the latter’s refusal to abide by an existing status quo order it issued sometime last January pending the final decision of the case she filed questioning the cross-positioning orders issued by higher authorities.

Although the case was initially dismissed, Torres filed a motion for reconsideration which is now pending resolution by Judge Pamintuan, thus, the status quo order should still be in effect thereby no movement should still be implemented in their office.

The current scenario has prompted the city council of Baguio and the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association (CREBA) in Baguio and Benguet to issue formal resolutions expressing their support for the retention of Torres at the HLURB-CAR since she had excellently performed her assigned duties and responsibilities as the agency’s head over the past several years.

In her motion to cite Fabol for contempt, the HLURB-CAR official claimed being a lawyer, he should be the first one to respect the decision of the court for a status quo pending the final decision to be rendered on the case she filed, thus he should have not issued a directive assigning a new officer-in-charge in their Cordillera office.

Torres disclosed she plans to elevate the matter to the Court of Appeals (CA) and the Supreme Court (SC) in the event that she gets an adverse decision from the lower court on the pending case.

If the HLURB central office continues to defy the status quo order, legal experts predicted the confusion at the said office will continue to reign which will be to the prejudice of the people.