Sitio Dumping clearing today

Probe Chief Arce says team will only clear structures since families have been moved already

DESPITE the request to investigate him, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has directed the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) to push through with the scheduled clearing of structures in Sitio Dumping Site, Barangay Inayawan today.

“Probe has to proceed,” he told reporters.

Rama said that if there were concerns regarding the transfer, members of the tribal group should have approached him when he visited the area to inform the families of their evacuation.

“Where were they when I went there? They should have brought the concerns before me,” he said.

In the final notice, Probe informed the 92 structure owners of the scheduled demolition.

Raquel Arce, the Probe chief, said notices were served to the families who were already transferred to a holding area in Sitio San Isidro Labrador in Barangay Inayawan.

Most of the families owned a house and pig pens because raising hogs were their main livelihood.

“We will only remove the structures because we already transferred the families. Since I received no hold order from the Mayor of the court, we will proceed with the demolition tomorrow (today),” Arce said.

Letter to President

Last week, Kinatas-ang Kahugpungan sa Kapupud-an, Datus Alimaong, a tribal group from Barangay Inayawan wrote the Office of the President, asking for an investigation on the move of Rama and Barangay Captain Lutheree Ignacio-Soon to implement forced evacuation the families who used to occupy the lot beside the City’s landfill.

The same letter was also sent to the Council.

Rama said there was a need to evacuate the families because of the eminent danger that the pile of garbage posed.

Evacuation

Last April 16, the City implemented the forced evacuation because of the fear that the garbage will collapse into the houses during heavy rains.

It was also the recommendation of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC).

For his part, Cebu City Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) Chairman Janesis Ponce said settlers in the area should be removed because it was already declared as danger zone.

“When the government rescues and evacuate people from danger zones, it does not distinguish your religion or affiliation. Whether you are rich or poor and you’re in the place that imperils your life, the government is duty-bound to remove you because you’re affiliation to a tribal group or what it is, will never give you immunity from hazards,” Ponce said.

SWMB also supported the move of the City Government.

“That is not an ancestral domain, that is a dump site,” Ponce added.