Golez urges city to follow law on Barangay 7 demolition

BACOLOD City Representative Anthony Golez Jr. called on the City Government of Bacolod to observe the rule of law on the matters involving the demolition in Barangay 7.

Village officials and residents of Barangay 7 sought the help of Golez on Monday after members of the Bacolod City Composite Enforcement Team threatened to demolish the houses.

Golez said when the enforcement team knew that he was coming they backed off because they knew they were on the wrong footing.

The city should not do it. They should follow the "right path," he said. They should also follow the rule of law because we are going to destroy people's Iives. That is not the mandate of a public official, he added.

They cannot enforce the demolition because there is no court order, he said.

"We clean our streets but not this way," the lawmaker further said.

When asked what help he can extend to the people who are affected by the demolition, he said that responsibility belongs to the city to provide relocation sites for the people.

The city needs to provide them relocation sites that are equipped with basic utilities like water, electricity, roads, livelihood and others. If they cannot provide it for now,  better to move the demolition because these are people who have the right to live, to eat and be protected, he said.

Give them what is due to them. If you don't want the same thing to happen to any member of your family, then don't do it to these people, he said.