City Hall moves cautiously vs. shoreline squatters
WAS it all a bluster and mere chutzpah?
This was asked by many when not a single illegal structure was demolished one week after a task force from the Dagupan City government moved in what appeared to be a firm action against illegal claims over public land in the beach front.
A giant billboard was installed at the beach area warning the public that the land there is not for sale and threatened to demolish all illegally constructed structures in the area.
City Legal Officer George Mejia clarified that members of the Task Force on Housing and Urban Poor Resettlement, which put up the billboard, had agreed among themselves that before they can undertake any demolition, names of owners of these illegal structures should first be identified.
The identification process is currently being undertaken by the barangay captain of Bonuan Binloc, Diosdado Torio, in coordination with the chief of police of Dagupan City, Dionisio Borromeo, both of whom attended an emergency meeting of the task force presided over by its head, City Engineer Virginia Rosario, last week.
After the listing of the ‘professional squatters’ is completed, Torio is expected to submit the list to the task force, which in turn will discuss its recommendation against these people.
Meanwhile, the City Assessor’s Office is also making its own verification of the areas covered by tax declarations earlier ordered by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. to be cancelled.
Mejia said so far, only five of more than 100 tax declarations have been cancelled as the Assessor’ Office wants to avoid any mistaken cancellation of claims outside the areas intended to be covered.
Pledging he has the political will to accomplish his task, Torio said he will deliver and expects the city engineer’s office and the police to help him implement the directive since his barangay tanod will be helpless against the rich and influential people who are among the identified squatters.
He said any demolition must be spearheaded by the city engineer’s office with the support of the police.
In a radio interview, Torio gave a bird’s eye view on his task and he estimated that the demolition of illegal structures will take at least a month of non-stop work.—LM
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