A Regional Trial Court judge yesterday issued a Temporary Restraining Order directing landowner Joaquin Bilbao Jr. to stop collecting toll fees from vehicles passing through a portion of the Hinobaan highway in southern Negros Occidental.

Kabankalan RTC Judge Henry Arles set the hearing for the issuance of a writ of preliminary mandatory injunction prayed for by the Department of Public Works and Highways, represented by Regional Director Rolando Asis, at 2 p.m. Monday.

On Friday last week, Bilbao started charging toll fees for vehicles passing through what he said was property owned by his family that the DPWH had yet to pay for.

Asis told the court that on May 24, 2007 Bilbao Jr. went to his office and asked for just compensation for the lot owned and registered in the name of his late father, Francisco Bilbao Sr. Asis said he advised Bilbao Jr. to officially submit his claim for compensation and supporting documents.

BIlbao Jr. wrote a letter to him registering his claim for compensation over the property in Barangay Pook, Hinobaan, Asis said. On May 30 Asis said he informed Bilbao that his claim for just compensation will be validated by the Regional Road Right of Way Task Force.

On June 14 the technical working group of the RTROW-TF went to Hinobaan to validate the claim of Bilbao Jr. and were surprised when they saw posted notices informing the public that the road is private property, the court was told.

The members of the team met with Bilbao Jr. and it was agreed that on June 19 they would meet to discuss the findings of the group, but on June 16 Asis said he received a verbal report that Bilbao had began charging toll fees.

Bilbao Jr. has no right to collect toll fees or establish a toll gate, Asis told the court.

Bilbao could not be reached for comment as of press time.*CPG

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