City Hall dismantles Ermita village outposts

With Barangay Ermita Chairman Felicisimo Rupinta failing to secure an appeal from Mayor Tomas Osmeña, a City Hall team finishes taking down the Ermita outposts.
CDN Photo/Junjie Mendoza

All seven “illegal” outposts in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, were cleared by City Hall, including one where two packs of shabu paraphernalia were found by personnel yesterday.

After Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta failed to meet with Mayor Tomas Osmeña last Monday, personnel of the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (Probe) team resumed their clearing operations.

In one outpost, the Probe team recovered two packs of suspected drug paraphernalia which included a lighter and foil.

“It had a name and date when it was confiscated. It was like an exhibit maybe for the supposed filing of cases,” said Probe team head Jesusa Berido.

As of yesterday afternoon, Berido said they finished clearing all seven outposts located within the Carbon Public Market and the Freedom Park in the barangay.

Probe started the clearing last Friday, but Rupinta appealed to suspend the operation saying he will meet with the mayor to seek reconsideration.
Yesterday, Probe finished clearing the remaining six outposts.

“There was no resistance from them during the clearing. It was okay. Nobody tried to stop the operation,” Berido said.

She said they will clear any other obstruction that may be put up by the barangay to replace the outposts.

Berido appealed for cooperation from the barangay officials saying these structures were already identified as obstructions since they encroached on roads and pathways within the markets.

Sought for comment, Rupinta said the barangay will continue maintaining peace and order within the two markets even without their outposts.

He said he instructed his barangay tanods not to resist the clearing operation especially after he was unable to meet with the mayor to appeal.

“So we won’t be blamed later on, we will continue monitoring the areas even if we don’t have protection from the heat and rain,” Rupinta said.

He said the outposts were an effective deterrent against snatchers in the Carbon market and Freedom Park.

Rupinta said the confiscated drug paraphernalia could have been part of those they seized in previous anti-drug operations in the barangay that were not turned over to the authorities.

Rupinta said he was unable to meet with the mayor last Monday since he waited on Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, to call him. He said Tumulak did not call him.

He also went to the mayor’s office yesterday morning but left after 20 minutes when he failed to secure an audience with him.