Court, not us, the right venue,' City SP tells Lapaz locals on plaint vs building demolition job
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) urged city complainants under the Bagong Lipunan Communication Association (BLCA) to file their complaint directly in Court over the demolition of the BLISS Multi-Purpose building in La Granja, Lapaz.
With the demolition order issued by City Administrator Melchor Tan, the City council's decision was in response to the request of the BLCA through their president Mercedita Ursal to probe the demolition as implemented by the City Engineers Office (CEO).
Majority Floor Leader Eduardo Penaredondo said residents should file a case in the appropriate Court if they were aggrieved by the city administrator's order. The city council, Peñaredondo added, is not the proper venue to determine the legality of the demolition order.
Further still, the residents were told that they could also file a case against the Ombudsman since those involved in the demolition are working in the government. They could file administrative case against the people behind the demolition.
However, this early, Penaredondo expressed his doubts on whether the association has the legal personality to question the demolition order. The residents were beneficiaries of the then Human Settlement program of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
The lots awarded to the recipients were never formally turned-over to them. They have not completed their payments. There are no documents available on the said government funded project. The program was not even carried out by the national agencies involved in the housing project, said Penaredondo.
The residents also filed the same request to the Housing Land Use and Regulatory Board (HLURB) to conduct an investigation over the demolition of the BLISS Multi-Purpose building. However, the HLURB did not take cognizance of the residents request, Penaredondo clarified.