TWELVE Muslim-affected families of Barangay 31 had been relocated to the Calaanan relocation site after the Cagayan de Oro City Government started the demolition of illegal structures on April 11 and 12.
According to Architect Maria Concepcion Alcantara, head of the Office of the Building Official (OBO), illegal structures are houses or structures built along the road or the encroachment on the road by any structures.
The 12 relocated families were some of the identified families whose houses were built along the road.
Alcantara also mentioned that aside from the land provided to the relocated families, the City Social Welfare and Development also gave them food packs and rice.
She added that the next demolition of illegal structures is scheduled on Tuesday, April 17, wherein 15 families were identified to be relocated to the Balubal relocation site.
Although the families were already given an area of land to build their new house, Alcantara said there are three from the twelve relocated families who went back to Barangay 31 despite the demolition of their houses.
"May mga iba talagang pag-iisip, bumalik. Baka may mga pinaghihinayangan sila, bakit ayaw nilang umalis doon (There are some that are stubborn, they went back. Perhaps there are things they need to finish that's why they went back)," Alcantara said.
The OBO head added that the barangay captain of Barangay 31, Captain Delia Wabe, should be the one responsible in controlling the informal settlers living in the barangay.
"Eh, yung kapitan parang walang pag-iisip. Nagagalit talaga ako sa kapitan kasi sinabi ko sa kaniya "Palumaluma kag kapitan, di nimo kaya imong barangay." (The barangay captain is not thinking. I was really mad at her and told her "You became the barangay captain and you're not even capable of handling your barangay.") I scolded her, I got mad because she didn't even cooperate with us. She did not even send even two of her tanods or any barangay official to assist us in the demolition," Alcantara said.
Alcantara also mentioned that Wabe's house was also built along the road which, perhaps, is the reason why she's lenient with the informal settlers.
Wabe's house, according to the OBO head, is one of the houses which were not scheduled for demolition as a request for suspension of demolition was sent to the City Council.
"Bukas may briefing kami (Tomorrow [April 17] we have a briefing) before we go to the site, so I will throw that question to them, how do we control the area na hindi man cooperative yung barangay (when the barangay captain is not cooperative)?" Alcantara said.