Domagoso blasts ‘illegal’ infra dismantling

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso expressed outrage Thursday after a project by Representative Joel Chua began demolishing a city government satellite office in the Tondo district without a permit.

Domagoso, inspecting the area at Alvarez Street and Rizal Avenue, confronted the operator of a heavy equipment vehicle. The compound houses a senior citizen’s office and a Manila City Hall satellite office.

“This is not right, to just demolish city government offices without a ‘demolition permit,’” Domagoso said.

The mayor immediately ordered City Engineer Armand Andres to padlock the site and confiscate the heavy equipment being used for the project.

According to Andres, the contractor for the congressman’s project did not secure a building or demolition permit to construct a new structure.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Chua admitted the project was his and said it was intended to build a modern, multi-purpose facility to house a new senior citizen’s office and other government services.

The new structure would also include a community shelter for street dwellers.

Chua said it is a congressman’s duty to request projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways, which he said should be responsible for securing the necessary permits from the local government unit as it controls the funding.

In another development, Domagoso presented two suspects who were seen in a viral video taking a roll of wire from a truck. The mayor issued a stern warning that his administration will continue to go after similar individuals.