‘Garcia meddled in demolitions’

CEBU CITY – Hundreds of unsafe and illegal structures, including public buildings, were spared demolition by the city government because Mayor Alvin Garcia intervened, a city official alleged.

Antonio Dotillos, chief of the city’s Squatters Prevention, Encroachment and Elimination Division (SPEED), said a total of 207 structures and unsafe buildings have been programmed for demolition by his men since January.

But many of these structures remain untouched by the 51-man SPEED team because Garcia allegedly ordered Dotillos to suspend their demolition.

Dotillos said he never knew the reasons why Garcia suspended the demolitions.

Garcia is out of the country and could not be reached for comment.

The other day, Maria Lawas, SPEED’s administrative officer, briefed members of a City Hall transition team created by mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña.

"Because of political intervention, we failed to achieve our targets to clear these structures," said Lawas, who hopes the incoming administration will finally have the political will to enforce laws.

Among the illegal structures spared demolition are 16 houses in Banilad and 21 others illegally constructed in the north reclamation area, Lawas said.

She said the mayor also ordered a stay in the demolition of a building at the corner of Osmeña Boulevard and D. Jakosalem street which the assessor’s office previously occupied.

"We have the handwritten note of Mayor Garcia ordering us to suspend our demolition on many illegally constructed structures and unsafe buildings," Lawas told The Freeman.

Lawas said once Garcia orders a stay in the demolition of illegally built structures or unsafe buildings, the team would ask him to make a marginal handwritten note on the copy of the demolition order.

Often, Garcia’s handwritten instruction to the SPEED team would be "Hold until further notice" and always, there would be no reason given, he said.

Dotillos assured Minnie Osmeña, sister of the incoming mayor who represented him in the transition team while he was away in Australia on vacation, that by the end of this month, all new illegal structures in public places will be removed.

SPEED is also tasked to go after illegal vendors, but Dotillos said the city government should first look for a permanent site to relocate them. – Freeman News Service