The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) has recommended the demolition of over a thousand structures situated along the coastal areas in Bantayan Island.
Raul Pasoc, Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) of DENR-7 , said that they had already sent notices of violation to the owners of the 22 illegal structures in Sta. Fe town, the more than 700 illegal structures in Bantayan town, and the 400 plus illegal structures in Madridejos town.
These three towns make up Bantayan Island in northern Cebu.
“Most of these structures in Sta. Fe are beach resorts, but in Bantayan and Madridejos, majority are residential houses,” Pasoc said.
Pasoc, however, clarified that the notices of violation had only requested affected structure owners to impose voluntary demolition.
“The LGUs should implement the demolition (of the illegal structures). But in the case of Bantayan, it is up to the court to decide because of the on-going mandamus,” he said.
Earlier, Branch 28 of the Mandaue Regional Trial Court (RTC) ruled that the structures violated Presidential Decree No. 1067, or the Water Code of the Philippines, which prohibits structures inside the easement zones.
An easement zone on a beach is defined as 20 meters from the point reached by high tide.
Pasoc said that out of the 22 establishments in Sta. Fe, only one beach resort had obeyed the notice of violation that they had sent.
“They should be demolished,” he added.
He also warned violators that if they would continue to defy the notices, then the DENR-7 would recommend the filing of charges in court against them.
He also encouraged local chief executives in Bantayan Island to identify a relocation site for affected families, whose residential houses were found to have violated the easement zone and had to be demolished, especially in the towns of Bantayan and Madridejos.
Bantayan Mayor Ian Christopher Escario, however, wants to hold a dialogue first between the DENR and the affected structure owners, before implementing any demolition of illegal structures.
Escario said that the notices were issued just this month.
“We want to clarify – who will implement the demolition? Is it the DENR or the LGUs? Because for me, there should be a court order before implementing a demolition,” Escario said.
He also said that the dialogue between the DENR and the affected structure owners had been set for the second week of July.