Reacting to Daily Tribune's exclusive article on the Parañaque subdivisions fiasco, accusing his agency of inaction regarding the diversion of Baloc-Baloc Creek, which separates Barangays Moonwalk and Don Bosco, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. on Christmas Day denied the they are remiss on their duty.
Parañaque City resort owner Selwyn Lao tossed the blame on the DILG over the recurring floods impacting nearby subdivisions as the original creek allegedly became clogged when four houses were illegally built on top of it after the subdivision owner, Camella Homes Subdivision, appropriated the creek and diverted it through a smaller man-made waterway.
Lao also claimed that he sent a scathing letter to Abalos Jr. and asked the agency to investigate the building permits issued to four houses on the creek.
For his part, Abalos said Lao's letter has been acted upon since they received it on 30 August 2023.
"On the same day, the said letter was referred to Bureau of Local Government Subdivision (BLGS), in compliance to Republic Act 6713 and the Anti Red Tape Act of 2007," read the letter sent by Abalos' head executive assistant Atty. Kevin Carpeso to Daily Tribune, who was referring also to Lao's lawyer Jill Kathrine Lao.
Carpeso said their validation indicated that the BLGS acted on the said letter request of Lao on 7 September 2023 and endorsed the same to the "Bureau of Local Government Development, the bureau responsible for concerns on building permits, copy furnished Atty. Lao."
"In essence, please take note that the Office of the Secretary has acted on the letter request of Atty. Lao with dispatch," he added.
Lao, a businessman and engineer, claimed the unauthorized structures were the primary cause of the flooding in four nearby subdivisions.
In his letter dated 18 August 2023, he urged the DILG to launch a thorough investigation into the issuance of building permits for the creek-top houses and to take swift action to rectify the situation.