DILG taps cops to reclaim roads

MANILA, Philippines — To ensure that President Duterte’s directive to reclaim public roads from private users is sustained, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has tapped the police in the campaign to rid the streets of obstructions, especially in Metro Manila.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año ordered Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), to augment personnel from other government agencies in removing illegal vendors, parked vehicles and other road obstructions.

“The NCRPO will deploy more policemen sa malalaking lugar katulad ng Quezon City para siguradong walang maiiwan,” Año said in an interview over dzMM.

Aside from Quezon City, the cities that Año described as “problematic” are Pasay and Caloocan.

“Doon talaga ang medyo maraming challenges,” he said.

Eleazar said he directed the five police districts in Metro Manila to assign policemen to help in the administration’s campaign to rid the streets of obstructions.

“We will provide the muscle in road clearing operations,” he said in a phone interview.

Eleazar said the presence of policemen would lessen tension, especially when the targets are illegal vendors and informal settler families.

“We will also monitor areas that have been cleared together with barangay officials,” he said.

According to Año, barangay officials will be in charge of ensuring the streets remain free of obstructions.

He urged local chief executives not only in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country to implement the President’s directive instead of waiting to be admonished.

Año said he would not hesitate to punish erring officials.

“Talagang makakatikim sila because we will make sure na talagang susundin nila ang kanilang mandato at trabaho,” he said.