Village chiefs told to submit demolition report before DILG deadline

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued Memorandum Order No. 110 to all the barangay officials to submit their accomplishment on the demolition of illegal structures within their areas of jurisdiction before its deadline on September 27, 2019.

The memorandum dated September 11 signed by Leonardia stated that the clearing operations pursuant to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2019121 with the corresponding inventories of illegal structures, public nuisance, and any unlawful obstructions on public roads alleys, and other thoroughfares submitted to the Office of the City Mayor and duly reported to the DILG demands urgent compliance.

Leonardia said Thursday the period remaining from date hereof to deliver significant results and the sustainability of the clearing operations to the reported to the DILG, provided in paragraph 4 of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2019-121, will be on September 27, 2019.

He said the Office of the City Mayor will continue to monitor the performances of all barangays concerned and to receive and validate the reports as mandated by the DILG.

”As such, all Punong Barangays and barangay officials are reminded to strictly observe the following mandate in compliance of their duty provided in the last paragraph of DILG memorandum,” he added.

DILG memo stated that in case of non-compliance, appropriate administrative cases shall be filed pursuant to Section 60 ( c )of the Local Government Code of 1991 and other existing laws and policies. Corollary thereto, it must also be the responsibility of all local chief executives to exact accountability and impose corresponding sanctions, after observance of due process against non-supportive and non-compliant local officials and employees.

Section 60 ( c )of the Local Government Code that may be acted upon by the appropriate government agency, constitutes the offenses of misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty.

The DILG memo stated that within 60 calendar days, significant results must be achieved, documented, and reported together with the efforts of the local government units to sustain the same.

Leonardia said that in the clearing of illegal structures by the barangay officials concerned likewise include their duty to prevent the construction of any kind of illegal dwelling units within their respective localities, especially those that had already been cleared, as provided in Section 30 of Republic Act 7279 or Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, otherwise, the subject barangay officials shall be liable to administrative sanctions and/or penal sanctions under the aforementioned Local Government Code and/or Section 45 of RA 7279.

Leonardia will also hold a meeting with the DILG to discuss the filing of charges against the erring barangay officials.

Of more than 8,900 illegal structures in Bacolod, Leonardia disclosed that 70 percent of the illegal structures were already demolished in various barangays.