LINGAYEN —The municipal government has confirmed the massive illegal occupation of public lands along the foreshore land in Lingayen by different individuals, all of whom are rich and influential persons.

Mayor Ernesto Castaneda, in an interview, said as early as July 3, 2007, he had written then Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes to inform him that sopme parties have been putting up structures along the shoreline of Lingayen as confirmed by barangay officials.

Reyes had ordered the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Pangasinan headed by Leduina ‘Wendy’ Co to form a task force to investigate the matter.

Castaneda said the town’s engineer, Marlo Flores, had to stop the construction of a reinforced concrete structure within a 28-hectare area fenced with sawali in barangay Malimpuec, reportedly owned by municipal Councilor Ramon Bataoil, brother of Police Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil.

Flores said he sent the younger Bataoil notice of illegal construction for not securing any building permit.

The younger Bataoil admitted that the construction belongs to him which, he said, is part of his envisioned agricultural livelihood project that will benefit cattle raisers in the town.

Also being claimed by other private individuals are other public lands in barangays Estanza, Sabangan and Capandanan, all located in the western part of Lingayen, and in Libsong.

Castaneda said the area occupied by private individuals is part of a more than 100 hectare reservation set aside for eco-tourism purposes in a proclamation issued by then President Fidel V. Ramos in March 1994.

He said the municipal and provincial governments will put up and jointly manage eco-tourism projects in the area to further enhance tourism in the capital town.