A CEASE and desist order (CDO) was issued by the Lapu-Lapu City Government on Saturday, July 20, 2024, to a sand and gravel company after its stockpile collapsed into a residential area in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Bankal.
Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, along with James Allan Sayson from the City Legal Office, issued the CDO to suspend operations at the site of the collapsed stockpile. This is to prevent further risks to the safety of nearby homeowners after the incident displaced 12 families on Friday, July 19.
In a phone interview with SunStar Cebu on Saturday, Sayson clarified that the CDO prohibits company personnel from accessing the land area in Sitio Mahayahay, except for operations involving the transfer of stockpile to a new location.
Sayson further said that Chan instructed the company to remove the granular materials from the site right away, especially with the onset of the rainy season, which could potentially lead to another accident.
Two weeks before the incident, Chan had already noticed the large pile of sand and gravel in the area but had not received any feedback from the business owners upon their inspection.
During his Facebook Live, Chan also pointed out that the company violated the City’s regulations by placing a stockpile in an area that was not covered by the initial business permit it had secured.
“Discrepancies”
Chan added that the sand and gravel company also lacked location and sanitary clearances, contributing to their “discrepancies.”
To completely clear the stockpile, approximately 200 trucks, each carrying 19.32 cubic meters of sand and gravel, will transport the materials to a new location in Mandaue City.
Barangay Captain Celestino Pangatungan said that of the 12 houses affected, six were “totally damaged” by the incident that occurred on Friday afternoon.
The company has committed to assist in the restoration of the damaged homes. It will also provide financial aid for the hospitalization of the 64-year-old woman hurt by the falling debris.
The Lapu-Lapu City Government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office, will also provide food and other necessities to the affected families currently staying in the barangay’s school and with neighbors. / DPC