City tears down ‘illegal’ CPA fence

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Hall personnel tore down the concrete wall and removed the metal fences that were illegally constructed by the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) around the old building of the Compania Maritima.

Armed with an order issued by Mayor Michael Rama, the personnel of the Prevention Restoration Order and Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) headed by Raquel Arce, proceeded to the disputed property near the Senior Citizens Park and removed the barbed wires and the tarpaulin signages.

Rama said he was already fed up because until now the port officials did not secure a permit from the Office of the Building Officials (OBO) for the construction of the fence and the wall.

The construction resulted in the closure of the P. Burgos and Lapulapu streets leading to the Compania Maritima building.

The security guards hired by CPA to secure the property did not notice the arrival of the demolition team as they were busy talking at the main entrance near the Malacañang sa Sugbo.

Arce and some members of the clearing team approached the security personnel and told them that they were sent by the mayor to remove the illegally-constructed fence and showed to them the mayor’s order, which was also received by the CPA yesterday.

A backhoe and bulldozer destroyed the concrete walls that closed the streets of P. Burgos and Lapu-lapu giving access to the open parking lot, which is part of Quezon Boulevard.

The metal fences used to enclose the parking lot were also cut by large metal cutters.

Elements of the Waterfront Police Station led by Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu were present to give protection to the clearing team.

Port police headed by Chief Insp. Felix Angelo Quianzon arrived to document the clearing operations.

The mayor said the walls and fences were illegally installed by the port officials because of the absence of a permit from the OBO, but CPA Chief Legal Officer Yusop Uckong claimed that there is no need for them to secure a permit for any construction within the port zone.

However, OBO Head Engr. Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez said it is clearly provided in Section 301 of the National Building Code of the Philippines that even government agencies, government instrumentalities or government-owned-and-controlled-corporations shall not be exempted from securing of construction permit for any infrastructure and fencing projects.

The mayor said there were three commissioners from the CPA who went to his office and tried to discuss the issue about their fencing operations but Rama told them he will not discuss the issue unless they will first remove the fence.

Rama said the property does not belong to the CPA because they do not have titles of the land, particularly the three parcels of lands that were reclaimed through the efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Uckung said the property has been turned over to them by the DPWH through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) but the mayor still argued that the MOA is not the right document that proves their ownership of a property.  (FREEMAN)