MANILA, Philippines — Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez declared on Thursday that the agency would offer non-negotiable terms to the Villar Group of Companies to expedite the donation of six parcels of land for the construction of the Las Piñas station of the Light Railway Transit (LRT)-1 Cavite Extension Project.
"It's a take-it-or-leave-it offer. They have to make a decision. I am saying this now so that when our meeting pushes through next week, they can either agree or decline," Lopez said in a radio interview.
Should the Villar Group reject the government's terms, Lopez said he would order construction to proceed all the way to the Zapote and Niog stations in Bacoor (Cavite)—without the Las Piñas station.
The transport chief noted that the DOTr requires 8,389 square meters of land to construct the Las Piñas and Zapote stations. Of this, approximately 4,990 square meters are supposed to be donated by the Villar Group for the Las Piñas station.
However, he said two of the six parcels from the Villar Group remain encumbered.
The DOTr chief stressed that the government has three key conditions during its meeting with the Villar Group next week: first, an unconditional permit to enter the site for the DOTr; second, the deed of donation must expressly relieve the government from all liabilities, with no subrogation; and third, the cancellation of any mortgages or liens on the properties to be donated.
"Based on the report, only two are affected. One is the larger property—roughly 2,000 to 3,000 square meters—which is mortgaged to Chinabank. The other is the 90-square-meter lot we requested for the viaduct. Only those two," Lopez explained.
The top DOTr official said that the only way for the government to proceed with this location is for the Villar Group to donate it.
“That is the sole option," he pointed out.
Lopez then called for tangible proof of the Villar Group's commitment. "They claim they are going to donate it. We told them to submit the necessary documents so we can verify whether their offer to the government is indeed made in good faith," he said.
Lopez reiterated that if the Villar Group would not agree, he would push through with construction all the way to Zapote and Niog.
“We will leave Las Piñas for now—it can be addressed later. It would be unfair for the communities of Zapote and Bacoor to be held hostage by the issues surrounding Las Piñas," he emphasized.
According to DOTr, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the agency to resolve the issues surrounding the project in the best interest of commuters.
