Illegal structures inside Bacolod cemetery demolished

The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) Enforcement Unit demolished at least six illegal structures inside the Bacolod North Public Cemetery or the Burgos Cemetery on Tuesday, October 24.

Rey Demisana, head of the CLO-Enforcement Unit, said the illegal settlers were occupying some of the mausoleum inside the North Public Cemetery.

“They were using the mausoleum and tombs as their own home. They were also cooking inside the cemetery,” he said.

He added the illegal settlers also engaged in illegal connection of power supply in the area.

Demisana noted that illegal settlers should vacate the public cemetery and return to their respective homes.

“It’s the directive of City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr. to demolish the illegal structures in public cemeteries as well as in the public markets,” Demisana said.

He said they also coordinated with the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) to strictly enforce that illegal settlers are not allowed inside the North Public Cemetery.

“We will continue the monitoring to ensure that the illegal settlers will not return inside the cemetery,” he added.

Moreover, the CLO will also demolish at least 18 stalls at Corner San Juan Street towards Corner Ferrero Street near the Manokan Country.

Demisana said they are only waiting for the directive of Ting to remove the illegal structures in the area.

Ting earlier said that these stalls include those selling flowers, purified drinking water, and sari-sari stores.

They will be considered as informal settlers and they need to vacate the area since SM Prime Holdings Inc. will develop the areas of Manokan Country, Vendors’ Plaza towards the Commission on Elections (Comelec) local office through the public-private-partnership-program (PPPP), he said.*