City orders demolition of police satellite office

In a clearing order dated June 5, 2018, City Mayor Tomas Osmeña directed the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team to remove or demolish the “illegal” structures in the said area.

“In compliance with due process, you are to serve the concerned parties the usual ten (10) days notice/warning. Thereafter, for failure to comply, you are directed to clear the area and to remove aforementioned illegal structure,” read the order.

PROBE Head Racquel Arce told The FREEMAN that she had already served the clearing order and the Diversity and Social Justice Project, contractor of the project, has voluntarily cleared the area last June 25.

The clearing order was sent also to Barangay Inayawan, Police Station 7 in Barangay Pardo and to the Cebu City Police Office.

Office of the Building Official (OBO) Head Engr. Josefa Ylanan said they have found out that the construction has no building permit, adding there is a complaint stating that the satellite office is within the road right of way.

She said other than the building permit, the contractor should secure a locational clearance so that the latter can proceed with the construction.

Before this happened, the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) issued a notice of illegal construction to police authorities directing them to secure a building permit.

Further, DEPW has ordered the contractor to stop all illegal building activities in the said area immediately.

With this, the Police Regional Office-7 has sent a letter to Ylanan detailing that there is no ongoing construction activities in the area for they are still securing the necessary permits.

“Please be informed that prior to this, we have already advised DSJP Construction to first secure the necessary building permit and conduct the required soil testing of the site. Thus, when OBO personnel visited the construction site there was no construction activity in the area,” the letter read.

Other than that, Regional Engineer Police Superintendent Edgar Dampios mentioned that in June 5, when they visited OBO, they were informed that the location of the police station satellite office will be affected by the proposed widening of F. Jaca St.

Senior Inspector Arieza Otida, deputy chief of Police Community Relations Office Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), will issue a statement today.

In a separate interview, Councilor Joel Garganera, chairman of the Police Advisory Council, expressed his objection of the clearing order, saying that the satellite office would help improve the peace and order concern in the existing Pardo police station.

He questioned why OBO considered it as an illegal construction for the contractor has not yet started building the structure.

“Giguba pa gani ang koral, wala pa gani gastart. We are still complying (with) the necessary permits nga requisite. Paguba sa koral wala man gani si Tommy nitawag lang sa ni Joel Doria (CCPO director) ba nga unsa mani, gi-diretso lang og guba. Lisod man nga gasige kuno siya (Osmeña) laban sa mga polis, is he really helping? Sige’g dayg,” Garganera said.

He added that it was stipulated in the clearing order that a certain Nenita Abangan lodged a complaint on the construction of the satellite office.

However, Garganera said they have not seen Abangan’s complaint.

“Unsa’y gibuhat sa mayor? Ni-issue og clearing order without calling the city director and he tried to make it appear nga niday’g siya ni Doria. Akong pangutana unsa may support nimo? Unsa may support nga gihatag nimo?” Garganera said.

Osmeña said he doesn’t care whatever Garganera says, because the latter is reportedly just a waste of time.

He said he will let Councilor David Tumulak handle the matter, being the deputy mayor over police matters and the chairman on public order and safety.

In a separate interview, Tumulak said all the necessary documents shall be complied with so that it would not be considered illegal.

“I-process gyud ang documents and there should be a consultation among the barangays (that) belong sa station 7 Basak Pardo, Kinsang-an, Cogon Pardo, Bulacao, Sudlon I, Sudlon II, and Sinsin,” he said. —

Odessa O. Leyson/GAN