• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Five regular employees of the Bacolod City Government, all assigned to the Office of Building Official (OBO), are currently under investigation after being issued a show cause order by Mayor Greg Gasataya for their alleged involvement in issuing a fencing permit for an illegal structure.
The mayor confirmed in a press briefing that the employees, some of whom are engineers and architects, were given five days to submit their written explanations, following an inspection that uncovered multiple irregularities in the permitting process.
The investigation centers on a concrete riprap fence constructed along Sulom Creek in Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City.
Although the project held a fencing permit dated May 28, 2024, the inspection conducted by the City Engineer’s and City Legal Offices determined that the structure obstructed the waterway and encroached the creek.
The structure’s location and design are considered a contributing factor to the city’s flooding problems and a risk to nearby residents.
The employees are facing questioning for allegedly accepting and processing documents for building permit applicants, which is reportedly not part of a regular employee’s authorized duties.
Meanwhile, a separate cease and desist order has also been served to the private property owner, directing them to remove the illegal fence and to explain why administrative, civil, and criminal charges should not be filed against them.
Gasataya also shared a plan on adding another new e-kiosk system in the OBO, which allows for the digital application of building and occupancy permits, an initiative that he said avoids fixers in the city government.*
