The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) is hell-bent on parrying efforts by controversial businesswoman Alice Eduardo to take back a 21.7-hectare illegally reclaimed property in the country’s largest lake.
LLDA general manager Joey Medina said he has beefed up the property’s security and sought more legal support from the Office of the Solicitor General after Eduardo and her firm, Sta. Elena Construction and Development, filed a case to take back the illegally reclaimed property in the Laguna Lake shoreline in April 2022.
The LLDA ruled that the area being reclaimed by Eduardo fell below the minimum 12.5-meter elevation of Laguna Lake which meant “it was considered government property and not subject for private ownership.”
“I don’t know her personally (Alice Eduardo) but based on our investigation, she reclaimed a huge parcel of Laguna Lake that’s why we issued her a CDO (cease and desist order) and order for possession. She filed for ejectment against us (LLDA),” said Medina in an interview with DZRH News anchor Deo Macalma.
Macalma could not help but comment: “Siya pa ang may lakas ng loob na kayo ang paalisin…Lakas daw nito sa gobyerno, sino kaya ang kapit nito?”
The LLDA has ordered Eduardo’s firm to stop the construction in the reclaimed property – located along the C-6 portion in Barangay Sta. Ana, Taguig City – as early as February 2022 because it lacked the necessary clearance for the project.
The LLDA- Shoreline Management Office (SMO) said it has imposed a P370 million fine on Eduardo’s firm for illegal reclamation.
LLDA-SMO also claimed that some of the 36 titles held by Eduardo’s company for the reclaimed property were allegedly spurious. (With a report from Eileen Mencias)