BACOLOD City – Acting Mayor El Cid Familiaran ordered to stop the demolition of illegal structures on the banks of Lupit River in Barangay Singcang-Airport.
Familiaran issued the order on July 12, a day after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed a resolution seeking a one-week suspension of the demolition order from the City Legal Office (CLO).
Familiaran started sitting as city mayor after Mayor Evelio Leonardia left the country for his 16-day official leave beginning July 11.
The illegal structures along the Lupit River were houses of informal settlers, who Familiaran said appealed before the SP to give them one more week to process their application for relocation at the Bacolod Housing Authority (BHA).
The SP granted their request, thus the resolution.
City Assistant Engineer Ephraim Hechanova said the houses are built on a “danger zone.”
The July 11 demolition was done in view of a bridge widening project in the area.
Before the demolition, a clearance from the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor was secured, Hechanova stressed.
He added that they have reminded the informal settlers “several times” about the planned demolition.
CLO’s Attorney III Reuben Mikhail Sabig issued the demolition order on June 20.
Once their applications at the BHA are approved, the informal settlers will be relocated to the Arao Relocation Site in Barangay Vista Alegre./PN
