By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez clarified that there is no legal violation regarding the reconstruction of the Old City Hall on Luzuriaga-Araneta Streets in Barangay 13.
Benitez emphasized that the property title has been clean and under the name of the City of Bacolod since 1934. “There were no indications whatsoever that the city does not own the property,” he said.
Former Councilor Archie Baribar recently raised concerns about the project, urging the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) to hold a public hearing. Baribar claimed to be an intervenor in a pending court case filed in 2009 by the Luzuriaga family, seeking to cancel the property’s title.
Baribar expressed fears that the full demolition of the old city hall, instead of a refurbishment, might jeopardize the city’s rights over the property. He requested an SP investigation to address potential legal liabilities.
Benitez noted that Baribar, during his time as a councilor, defended the city’s ownership of the property. He added that the City Legal Office (CLO) had assessed and cleared the project of any legal impediments.
“The only concern is its historical significance, which required clearance from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and we secured that,” the mayor said.
Benitez also questioned Baribar’s arguments, stating, “If their reason was that it was donated to the city, it is still Bacolod running it. Where is the violation there? There’s no violation.”
City Legal Officer Atty. Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. explained that the lot, measuring approximately 3,200 square meters, was originally donated by Jose de Luzuriaga to the provincial government and later purchased by Bacolod’s local government in 1932. Ting further clarified that the purchase was not subject to any exclusive conditions for its use.
The PHP 223-million, four-story building, located at the historic downtown site, is envisioned as an “iconic and modern” Bacolod City Hall. Funded by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
