City tears down 8 houses in Mabolo

CEBU, Philippines - Eight houses that were illegally constructed in an abandoned road in Barangay Mabolo were demolished yesterday by the City Hall’s Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Team.

SPEED chief Vicente Mercado said the order issued by the Office of the Mayor authorized the demolition team to tear down the houses of Maribel Fuentes, Garciano Batucan, Benjamin Mino, Pepe Mier, Mary Omilla, Joel Abella and Susan Jagdon.

Mercado explained that the City Hall has nothing to do but to destroy the houses of these illegal settlers because they were constructed in a public lot without permit, which is in violation of the City Ordinance 1481 and for being a nuisance under Article 694 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.

There was no resistance from the concerned house owners because they knew that their presence in the old road lot is questionable and they were given enough time to vacate from the place.

When The FREEMAN asked Mercado whether the said affected families are to be provided with relocation sites, he said it is up to the Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor, another department under the Office of the Mayor, to attend to their needs.

Meanwhile, SPEED is also set to do another major demolition of the dwellings that are constructed beside the Mahiga Creek in the same barangay on November 12 and 13.

Mercado said Mayor Tomas Osmeña already gave a “go signal” for the demolition of more than 30 houses that are made of light materials.

The tearing down of illegal structures in the area is always suspended due to the interference of some government officials.

Mabolo barangay captain Rey Ompoc earlier requested the City Hall officials to suspend the demolition of the house of his constituents living behind the Cebu City Modern Abattoir.

Osmeña had ordered the demolition of the houses that are located on the riverbank because the occupants did not heed the advise for them to voluntarily vacate the place which is considered as “danger zone.”

During bad weather, particularly when there is a typhoon, houses that are located beside the creek are giving the city officials a headache.

The City Planning and Development Office had earlier recommended that the illegal structures along the Mahiga Creek be demolished to prevent possible accidents that may cause casualties especially when floods come because the illegal structures impede the normal and natural flow of water in the creek, thereby becoming one of the main causes of flood. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)