BAGUIO CITY November 14 – The City Legal Office announced that the demolition of illegal structures erected by private individuals within the Busol watershed could be done anytime because there is no more legal impediment for the local government to do so.
City Legal Officer Atty. Melchor Carlos Rabanes explained the Supreme Court (SC) already affirmed the legality and validity of the demolition order issued way back in 2003 by former Mayor Bernardo M. Vergara for the dismantling of the illegal structures erected by private individuals in various portions of the declared forest reservation that is why the schedule to implement the said order lies with the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) demolition team.
“There is no more legal impediment in the enforcement of the demolition order for the dismantling of illegal structures erected on various portions of the Busol watershed because the Supreme Court already affirmed the demolition order that was issued way back in 2003,” Rabanes stressed.
The city legal officer explained there is no longer a need for the issuance of a separate demolition order by the local chief executive for the implementation of the demolition of the illegal structures because the earlier demolition order that was issued by the former administration relative to the said issue still stands.
According to him, the SC ruling that affirmed the demolition order issued by the previous administration for the dismantling of illegal structures in portions of the Busol watershed should serve as a warning to individuals who built their houses in similar reservations in the different parts of the city because the local government is inclined to pursue the dismantling of the illegal structures as part of the efforts to preserve and protect the city’s environment.
Rabanes claimed the city legal office is in charge for the preparation of demolition notices and orders for the removal of illegal structures erected in forest reservations but the implementation of the demolition orders signed by city Administrator Carlos M. Canilao as authorized by the City Mayor will be under the jurisdiction of the CBAO’s demolition team.
He stated that the City Legal Office already completed its assigned task in the preparation of the necessary demolition orders while there are offices in the local government that are mandated to implement the said orders, especially the ones that do not have any legal impediment to stall the enforcement of the same.
Rabanes pointed out there are a number of demolition orders already issued for the dismantling of illegal structures in titled private and public lands in the different parts of the city while there are also demolition orders that were contested by the claimants and are now the subject of litigation with the courts in the city.
He asserted the rapid migration of people from the countryside to the urban center is one of the major factors triggering rapid urbanization that result to numerous problems on waste disposal, traffic, proliferation of informal settlers, encroachments in easements of waterways and road-right-of-way among others.**By Dexter A. See
