Vehicles passing through a portion of the national highway in Barangay Pook , Hinobaan, were charged toll fees starting yesterday because the Department of Public Works and Highways has failed to pay the owner of the property for the use of the road.

Joaquin Bilbao Jr. said the estate of his late father, Joaquin Bilbao Sr., was constrained to close Lot No. 3920-E-1-A-20 that had been expropriated by the DPWH without paying them compensation as required by law. Bilbao said the government has used their property as a public road for about 50 years now and he had informed the DPWH as far back as 2003 of their demand for payment, as well as in May and June this year.

Bilbao said that, in a meeting with DPWH regional director Rolando Asis, he informed him that he was officially registering his claim for compensation and other collateral expenses related to the use of the lot.

The original Telfood road was constructed by my grandfather in the 1940s to connect the then township to the rest of Negros Occidental, he said.

Since then the government has used, improved and finally concreted the road without even acknowledging its responsibility to the rightful owner of the land, he said.

Bilbao said he was charging toll fees to manifest his protest against the inaction of the government.

He said tricycles were being charged P5, cars and jeeps - P20 and buses and trucks - P50.*CPG

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