Mayor Greg Gasataya issued show cause orders to five Bacolod City government employees on Monday, Dec. 1, for the irregular issuance of a fencing permit at Sulom Creek in Barangay Villamonte.
The structure was found to be obstructing the flow of water in the area.
The mayor had also issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) on Friday to halt the construction of the obstruction along Sulom Creek as part of the city’s intensified drive to prevent flooding.
City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said the owner of the obstruction and his lawyer met with the mayor on Monday and assured that he will comply with the waterway restoration plan.
The show cause order was issued to four employees of the Office of the Building Official, including its previous head, and one from the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office, he said.
They were issued show cause orders for serious gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, and serious irregularities in the performance of duty for the irregular issuance of the fencing permit, Chiu said.
They have five days from receipt of the show cause orders to explain why no disciplinary action should be taken against them for their participation in the issuance of the irregular fencing permit in 2024, the mayor said.
The mayor also said more CDOs are set to be issued against persons responsible for obstructions to Bacolod waterways. Three CDOs have been issued so far, he said.
NOTICES TO VACATE
The city government has also issued notices to vacate to 27 owners of houses obstructing the Mambulok Creek in Bacolod City, Gasataya said.
He noted that 18 were qualified for transfer to the city government’s relocation site at Abada Escay, while two were previous awardees of land for them to transfer to.
Seven others had just recently built houses in the area and were not entitled to relocation lots, he said.*