Former councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan has filed criminal and administrative complaints against three Bacolod City government department heads, a sanitation inspector and two Bureau of Fire Protection officials before the Office of the Ombudsman (Visayas) for allowing a business establishment and shanties to illegally occupy a road.
Tan, at a press conference at his residence in Bacolod on Wednesday, June 5, said he filed a criminal complaint against the six for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and an administrative complaint for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and dereliction of duty.
Named in the complaint are Stela Rose Rayos – Bacolod City Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) head, Isidro Sun Jr. – Office of the Building Official (OBO) head, Ma. Carmela Gensoli – City Health Officer (CHO), Sanitation Inspector Mericar Ana Parreño, SFO2 Myron Gallo – Fire Safety Enforcement Section chief, and FChief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza – City Fire Marshall.
Tan, in his complaint, said he is the registered owner of a 5-door townhouse at Burgos Extension Street, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City.
He said although corner-lots are more expensive, he decided to spend an additional amount so his property would be bounded by two road lots.
Unfortunately, despite the additional expense in order to enjoy the advantage of the property having two frontages, he was deprived of it since shanties were allowed to occupy the road, Tan said.
“We already made several complaints with the city government of Bacolod, especially during the time of then President Rodrigo Duterte, who instructed all Local Government Units to clear all roads of illegal structures, but the same simply fell on deaf ears,” he said.
These shanties are being used for commercial purposes already, most notable of which is the Acebuche Lechon Baboy with its structure right in the middle of the road, Tan added.
Tan said he complained to Rayos regarding the operation of Acebuche Lechon Baboy on the road lot. Rayos then assured him that she would not recommend the issuance of a Business Permit since it is an illegal structure and it should instead be closed and removed, he said.
However, despite such assurance Acebuche Lechon is still operating freely and unhampered, in violation of the local ordinances of the city government of Bacolod, he said.
Tan said he was surprised that Rayos recommended to the mayor the issuance of a business permit to the Acebuche Lechon Baboy.
The recommendation of Rayos was done in bad faith since she knew all along that the business is operating in an illegal structure, he added.
Tan also said the City Health Office issued a sanitary permit to the Acebuche Lechon Baboy that has no drainage system, no water connection, and is not compliant with the sanitary requirements for its operation.
The Bureau of Fire Protection also issued a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate despite the fact that the structure has no fire protection equipment, and is in itself a fire hazard, Tan added.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., who responded on behalf of the city department heads, said “the BPLO did not renew the business permit of the Acebuche stall, the OBO did not issue an occupancy permit considering it is only a stall, and the CHO issued the sanitary permit as its personnel have Health Cards and comply with the sanitary conditions on their display“.*