Friday, July 13, 2007 Mayor vows enhanced anti-squatting drive
BAGUIO City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. vowed to strengthen the City’s campaign against illegal settlers in the hope of making a dent on the perennial squatting problem.
In his first media briefing upon his assumption as city executive, Bautista said priority targets for the drive will be the parks, watersheds and the road rights-of-way.
The mayor said he also intends to beef up the anti-squatting committee facilitating the implementation of demolition procedures by assigning City Administrator Peter Fianza as head of the team. He said Fianza, whom he reappointed as city administrator albeit his appointment would still be subject to City Council confirmation, would be supported by two other appointees of the mayor, acting City Legal Officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes and lawyer Ronaldo Perez whom the mayor eyed to serve as his secretary.
For the past two years, Rabanes has headed the committee composed of representatives from the office of the City Engineer, city police, Public Order and Safety Division, Community Affairs Division, and the Philippine Commission on Urban Poor as regular members; with the secretary to the mayor and the head of the city demolition team as ex-officio members.
Bautista said he specifically assigned the three lawyers to said job in the hope of speeding up demolition proceedings normally involving legal issues.
As team head, Fianza was given the authority to sign in behalf of the mayor notices of demolition, demolition orders and other issuances and documents prepared and reviewed by the City Legal Office.
Bautista last Tuesday issued Administrative Order 73 delegating to Fianza the ministerial signing of documents relative to the efforts of the City against illegal constructions and squatting activities.
He is empowered to order the demolition of buildings and other structures illegally built on public and private lands by virtue of Section 455 of the Local Government of 1991, LOI 19 and LOI 691 in relation to Presidential Decree 1096, Republic Act 7279 and other related laws, issuances, rules and regulations and jurisprudence. (Aileen Refuerzo)
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