IT is fascinating to know that there are underground tunnels built by individual property owners in the country. In Porac, Pampanga, police discovered an indoor firing range and underground tunnel within a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO)-run facility. They found a well-lit underground hallway with empty shelves and offices, allegedly occupied by POGO operatives. Similarly, in the vast property of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy in Davao, there is a network of underground tunnels and spaces that snaked through the 30-hectare compound. This made it difficult for the Philippine National Police to serve the arrest warrant on Quiboloy.
Legally, private underground tunnels are permitted. Article 437 of the Civil Code states: "The owner of a parcel of land is the owner of its surface and of everything under it, and he can construct thereon any works or make any plantations and excavations which he may deem proper, without detriment to servitudes and subject to special laws and ordinances. He cannot complain of the reasonable requirements of aerial navigation."
Continue reading with one of these options:
Ad-free access
P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
- Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
- Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)