Cebu judges to advise City Hall on demolitions

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is asking the court to coordinate with the city when it issues demolition orders.

Rama said he wants the city government to have better “collaboration, coordination and complementation” with the courts in the implementation of demolition orders.

“I was very clear to them that I will not going to supplant. We will only be pleading, of course when we talk about time when the implementation will be done... so that there is such thing as dili kay magdungan tanan,” Rama said.

Rama said he personally invited the judges of the Regional Trial Court and Municipal Trial Court to a meeting. He said the judges granted his request.

Rama said he called for the meeting after the city was not informed of the recent demolitions in Barangays Mabolo and Capitol Site.

“Inig dungan ejectment diri, ejectment didto. Unsay mahitabo? And who’s going to be receiving the brunt? People would not know. They might be assuming that Mike Rama – who is also accused by my predecessor – that I am demolishing, which is not correctly and not entirely correct. We don’t even use demolition; we use clearing,” he said.

He said the city government clears illegal structures to restore the sidewalk, to restore the three-meter easement zone of creeks, among others.

Rama said the judges have agreed to furnish the city copies of demolition orders that would affect residents here.

“They are very cooperative. They will be coordinating, as well as complementing. I was very clear, we don’t want to supplant. Dili man mahimo magdungan at the same time,” he said.

City lawyers and personnel of the city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) would also be informed of the profile of the pending cases so that they can prepare ways to help the residents affected.

“The city should know the profile of the case. DWUP mag sige ug connect sa court. They can see the case if it is weak, strong, and then prepare for it. If the case is weak, what is there to fight for? Except for time,” Rama said.

He said he wants to see a city where “orderliness will rule.”

No memorandum of agreement was signed, Rama said, as the same might be “misinterpreted”.  (FREEMAN)