Quezon City sorry for UP road clearing

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has apologized to those affected by a road clearing operation conducted by local government personnel in the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman on Tuesday.

In a statement yesterday, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the clearing operation lacked full coordination with all stakeholders and was not supported by clear and timely lines of communication.

“While this clearing operation was consistent with recent directives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, there is clearly a need to remind those who implemented it that their job demands the highest levels of empathy, compassion and respect for human rights,” read the local government statement.

Department of public order and safety (DPOS) personnel conducted road clearing in Pook Dagohoy, Pook Palaris, Area 1 and Area 2 in UP Diliman and destroyed and confiscated the property of vendors in the areas.

Students and other members of the university community called out the university administration over what they described as increasing commercialization in the campus.

Area 2 is popular among students and other members of the university community as vendors mainly offer inexpensive meal options.

According to the city government, the operation was done upon the request of UP Diliman vice chancellor for community affairs Roehl Jamon, who coursed the appeal through Barangay UP Campus.

“Once this is finalized, we shall ensure that all our departments and agencies comply with its implementing rules and regulations,” it added.

UP Diliman chancellor Carlo Vistan II said his office is investigating what he described as violent clearing operations by DPOS.

In a Viber message sent to The STAR, Vistan opted not to comment for now on whether there was a proper dialogue with the vendors before Jamon made his request.

“We are still doing our own investigation on this matter,” Vistan said.