City set to lease out Citicenter property
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Osmeña said yesterday he intends to “depopulate” the center soon to implement peace and order in the area, and to clean it of drugs and other illegal activities.
“We have to try to clean up the place, I hope the people will understand…that’s a haven of ‘you know what’,” Osmeña said.
Since the city seized the property years ago, the center has been transformed into a marketplace and dwelling site for around 100 residents of barangay Kamagayan. In fact, the barangay hall is also situated within the property.
The city seized the property after the owner failed to pay up to P10 million in taxes.
Osmeña admitted the plan would not be easy to implement but underscored the importance of decongesting the area to monitor its peace and order. He also said the city intends to talk to the residents “one by one” on the matter.
Osmeña also admitted that the city has not looked into a relocation site for the families that would be affected by the move. He said the city will deal with the issue on a case-to-case basis.
“Population density has a lot to do with the promotion of criminality,” he contended, saying further that it would be easier to police an area with lesser population density, thus, easier to monitor the peace and order situation.
“It’s not going to be an overnight thing…we have to talk to them one by one…it’s very hard to police an area that’s heavily populated,” Osmeña said.
He said the city would also find a way not to hamper the services of the barangay hall considering that it is located within the property.
The city is already finalizing its “legal position” on the matter. – Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM
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