Police Chief Defies DILG Usec Instruction over Clearing Operations in Ermita

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Mariano Natuel did not follow the instruction of DILG Undersecretary Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez not to support the clearing operation conducted by City Hall employees at Sitio Bato in Barangay Ermita.

Natuel explained that he just ordered the deployment of police personnel to secure the City Hall personnel doing the clearing operation, but the policemen did not participate in the actual clearing of the structures gutted by fire.

The reporters had received text messages, that was forwarded to their mobile phones and it was reportedly coming from Fernandez who instructed Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 director Marcelo Garbo and Natuel not to support the clearing operations conducted by City Hall.

Interviewed by the reporters yesterday, Natuel explained that it is also the duty of the police to prevent trouble or possible incidents between the clearing personnel and those persons who are against the clearing operations that is why he deployed police troops in the area.

Mayor Michael Rama had instructed Raquel Arce, head of the City Hall’s clearing team to finish her task immediately so that the City Hall technical personnel can already start re-blocking the area.

After the clearing operation at Sitio Bato that was hit by a fire last April 20, the City Hall technical personnel will start to re-block the area by providing space for roads and to equally divide the remaining spaces of lots for the fire victims whose houses were burned.

Arce said that most of the people in Sitio Bato had already understand that the mayor’s intention is for the good of the majority of the fire victims.

“Human sa clearing operation sa Sitio Bato, Ermita, ang lugar angayon g’yud sa pagbahin ngadto sa mga tag-iya sa mga balay nga nasunog,” she said.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete also said that the assignment of the equally-divided lots to the beneficiaries will be made through raffle.

The mayor said after the re-blocking of Sitio Bato, the place would become a beautiful place like a small village, equipped with access road and alleys.

The mayor had warned those persons who want to delay the project that he will not hesitate to file the necessary charges against them if they will continue blocking the clearing operation.