Mayor Glenson Alanano of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental has announced plans of his local government unit to claim full ownership of the now-controversial Turtle Island, also known as Polo, fronting Siit Bay in Siaton.
Turtle Island is currently the bone of contention between the LGU of Siaton and Provincial Legal Counsel Richard Enojo in his private capacity, over ownership claims of what is actually a peninsula that has been officially declared as public land by the Department of Environment & Natural Resources.
Mayor Alanano told reporters in an interview Thursday that he knew of a previous agreement a few years back between former Siaton Mayor Albert Ator and former Zamboanguita Mayor Kit Mark Adanza, which was witnessed by the DENR, on the declaration of a political boundary through the setting up of municipal boundary markers.
Mayor Alanano said he believes that the land in question actually belongs entirely to Zamboanguita because it is attached to barangay Lutuban in the mainland where it can, in fact, be accessed on foot.
Getting to Turtle Island from Siaton requires taking a short motorboat ride across Siit Bay, he pointed out.
The Zamboanguita Mayor disclosed he is consulting with lawyers, and will meet with DENR officials regarding the status of Turtle Island, known as a natural nesting area for endangered sea turtles.
He disclosed he is looking at the possibility of having the previous agreement by the former Mayors nullified.
Alanano admitted that he was surprised to hear that Atty. Enojo and the Siaton LGU, now headed by Mayor Fritz Diaz, were locked in an ownership dispute over Turtle Island.
Enojo had claimed to have bought “possessory rights” from a man who had lived on the island for 34 years, which Mayor Diaz debunked, saying that that person has been away for about 10 years now and could not even be located.
Enojo had fenced off a portion of Turtle Island which started a confrontation between his staff, and supporters of Siaton Mayor Diaz.
Enojo also accused the Siaton Mayor of having plans of developing the island as a tourist destination, while bringing over potential investors.
Enojo said he has sought a temporary restraining order from the court to prevent any development on Turtle Island.
Meanwhile, the Zamboanguita Mayor said he has also deployed police personnel and some men to keep watch over Turtle Island — the same strategy that the Siaton Mayor had done.
The DENR here has reiterated that to date, that land in question does not have any other rightful owner except the government because nobody has applied for a tenure instrument. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
