CamSur airport expansion project at the center of Andaya-Villafuerte rift

Camarines Sur Representative L-Ray Villafuerte on Friday continued his "word war" with fellow Camarines Sur Representative Rolando Andaya Jr., a day after the two lawmakers clashed in a police station in the province.

In separate interviews on Dobol B sa News TV, the two traded accusations from assault to encroaching on one's jurisdiction. At the center of the rift was the Naga International Airport expansion project.

Villafuerte, who represents Camarines Sur's second district, said the dumping of truckloads of soil by his men at a barangay in Pili for the expansion project is legal since there is already a court order for the government to possess the land, which he said is occupied by illegal settlers.

"Meron na pong court order, three years ago pa pong inumpisahan ito dahil inaayos 'yung mga lupa. Ang provincial government at ang Transportation Department ay may agreement na ayusin, i-fast-track ['yung project]," he said.

"Ang ginagawa ng mga provincial government employees binabantayan ang lugar, may court order na po, na puwede na pong i-possess 'yan. So nagtambak po ang provincial government ng lupa do'n dahil aayusin ang kalsada dahil papasok na rin po 'yung mga heavy equipment," he added.

Villafuerte claimed the area is not under the jurisdiction of Andaya, who represents the first district.

He reiterated that Andaya had assaulted his men before their heated confrontation at the police station happened.

"Sa sobrang galit po niya, may sinapak siya, kinuwelyuhan na isang security ng probinsya pero hindi naman po lumaban. 'Yung isang babae, vinideohan ang nangyari, nakita po niya 'yung video, hinila po niya 'yung babae at kinuha niya 'yung cellphone. Tapos meron pa isa, dalawang nagvi-video, kinumpiska niya, sinuntok, kinuha niya 'yung mga cellphone, 'yung mga radyo," Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte said they are going to file cases against Andaya, including grave threat, physical injuries and disbarment. He also belied Andaya's claims that he was the first to initiate a fight.

"Pasensya na po, mentally unstable po ang dating niya pero parang nag-drugs," Villafuerte said.

Regarding the alleged harrassment by his men to Pili residents, Villafuerte said they are ready in case respective charges will be filed against them.

"Kung may mali sana ang provincial government, puwede naman silang sumulat, mag-file ng kaso. Hindi po 'yung ganu'ng marahas na paraan."

However, he said most of the residents in the area affcted by the airport expansion are illegal settlers and are waiting for relocation.

Andaya

Andaya, for his part, said he was challenging Villafuerte's personal body guard and not Villafuerte himself at the police station.

"'Yung hinahamon ko pong tao at 'yung niyakap ko, alalay ho niya, ex-military po 'yon, personal body guard po niya 'yon at tinulak ho ako palabas ng police station," Andaya said.

"Nagsimula po 'yung usapan namin sa loob ng presinto, nalaman ko lang nasa labas na ako. Nahuhulog na ako sa hagdan kaya niyakap ko na siya," he added.

Andaya also claimed Pili is also not under Villafuerte's jurisdiction.

"Ang problema po kasi sa kaniya, nakalimutan niya congressman po siya ng ibang distrito. Ang asta po kasi niya, parang gobernador siya. Siya 'yung nagpapatakbo, hindi naman ho talaga 'yung nakaupong gobernador, siya naman talaga ang utak ng lahat na 'to."

Andaya reiterated Villafuerte and his men were harrassing farmers to sell off their lands for a cheap price. "P8 kada square meter. Saan ka naman nakakita po nu'n? Itong mga magsasaka, ang sinasaka po nila kalahating hektarya. Kung bibigyan ng P8 per square meter, ano na po ang kabuhayan po nila?"

Andaya belied Villafuerte's claim about the court order, saying a hearing will be conducted on May 2. He also said the land being claimed for the airport expansion is already very far from the airport.

"Ang pinag-uusapan dito, 'yung negosyong potensyal ng lupa 'pag nandu'n na 'yung airport. Kaya itong mga pobreng magsasaka, 'yung ayaw ibenta ang kanilang lupa sa napakamurang presyo, tinambakan 'yung harapan ng bahay ng buhangin na wala nang makadaan," Andaya said.

He said Villafuerte's men used the dumping of soil in front of settlers' houses to force them to sell their land.

"Kung may lehitimong proyekto po, bakit niyo naman ilalagay sa gitna ng daan? Puwede naman po sa gilid," Andaya said as he refuted accusations that he held an environment enforcer by the neck.

Andaya said the land being claimed will be used for commercial purposes and not for airport expansion. He said there were instances in the past that land bought by the provincial government were sold to private property.

"Lumang-lumang estilo na po 'yan dito, maraming beses na pong nangyari 'yan kaya aware na rin po 'yung mga tao sa ganiyang pangyayari," Andaya said. —Jamil Santos/KBK, GMA News