PROBE destroys anew shanties under bridge

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City’s PROBE team has demolished anew some shelters and an alleged drug den under the Kinalumsan Bridge, this time with the hope that dwellers, prostitutes and alleged drug users will no longer return.

PROBE’s officer-in-charge, retired fire marshal Aderson Comar, told The FREEMAN in an interview that this is the fourth time that they have cleared the area.

Dwellers living underneath this bridge already left after they opted to accept financial assistance from the city government and to look for another place to stay.

Comar said that he is surprised that some are claiming to have been there for over 20 years now.

Comar also noticed that there are more people now living under the said bridge. Worse, there were allegedly some prostitutes and even drug paraphernalia found in what they think as a drug den.

A total of 35 individuals from at least 13 families were taken out of the said bridge.

Comar said they are expected to return to their respective hometowns in the different provinces after barangay officials refused to give them certification to prove they are residents of their barangays.

Without the certification from the barangay captain, the city government of Cebu cannot also give them relocation or financial assistance.

For the Kinalumsan Bridge to be free from illegal settlers, PROBE personnel have constructed a fence around the area, while the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has already assigned a policeman to monitor the area 24/7.

After the Kinalumsan bridge, the PROBE also cleared some shanties in Barangay Mabolo.

Comar said the shanties around the waterways have already been abandoned by its previous dwellers after availing of the city’s housing project.

The Cebu City government hopes to clear all those obstructing and polluting the city rivers. — /GAN (FREEMAN)