Rama, Bimbo clash over clearing

A bulldozer from Cebu City Hall cleared last Friday afternoon what remained of the shanties in sitio Bato, barangay Ermita that was razed in a fire last April 20.

The clearing operation was part of the re-blocking ordered by Mayor Michael Rama, but the occupants tried to block the team headed by market administrator Raquel Arce for fear that they won’t be allowed to rebuild their homes.

Occupants were left in tears as they watched the remains of their burnt shanties cleared away.

Interior and Local Governments undersecretary Francisco Fernandez said the clearing can be considered “illegal” if there was no pre-demolition conference and no notices issued to affected families.

Fernandez also sent a text message to Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) chief and Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Cebu City police chief, to hold off any demolition until procedures are followed.

The occupants said they wanted the re-blocking postponed until after the May 13 elections.

But Rama said the re-blocking will have to be done before the fire victims start to rebuild their homes.

“What is important is the safety of all. I can assure everyone that the process will have to be complied with,” he said.

Ermita barangay captain Antonieto Flores told Bato residents they can temporarily occupy the nearby M.L. Quezon Street while the re-blocking is being done.

Rama criticized Fernandez for “grandstanding” and intervening in his reblocking plans, accusing him of wanting to be the next city administrator.

The mayor also warned Garbo against intervening in the city’s reblocking plans.

“Do they know about the situation? Have they been at the fire area? Are they aware of the millions of pesos we spend from our calamity funds to improve the condition of the fire victims?,” he said.

Rama said it’s more practical for the city government to spend on the widening of roads to allow fire trucks to reach the affected areas instead of spending more on relief goods and building materials.

The mayor said there was no need for a demolition in sitio Bato because the shanties were already destroyed by the April 20 fire.

“We are only clearing the area and road widening will be done with the consent of the people,” he said.

“Under the Local Government Code, the city has the police power to make sure that there should be no repetition of the malady…. what if there’s another fire? They will accuse the mayor of being incompetent?,” Rama added.

Rama said he would be “glad” if the national government that owns the lot occupied by Bato residents would intervene in the city’s negotiations with the affected families on its reblocking plans. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Edison delos Angeles