People had been mesmerized by what appears a laudable move to clear obstructions along roads and streets to restore order. It is a move to restore the spaces for the passage of people and vehicles that had been blocked by illegal structures for a long time. The cost of working hours wasted on traffic that are caught in gridlock appears enormous. So much money is lost when people who are supposed to use the roads and streets get stagnant as roads and streets are not passable at regular normal speed. Vehicles burn fuel in excess of the normal engine consumption merely due to unmoving traffic jams. It results in increased pollution of the environment and the repercussions on public health that unduly deplete funds for health.
It really is a good move for officials to enforce the law on easements along streets and roads that had been encroached by structures, both temporary and permanent. Among the obstructions are private structures such as residential houses and commercial establishments. Many obstructions though are public structures that were funded out of the government coffers. Such structures must have passed through completed staff work before the project plan were approved, funded, and implemented. The location where such structures are supposed to be erected were supposedly identified and approved by the officials concerned. The structures that are now being demolished had been certainly been erected through the approval of officials.
In the on-going campaign to clear roads and streets from obstructions, many structures had already been demolished, at great loss to the owner, whether private or government. The loss of properties is tremendous if the costing is done based on current market prices. Such losses is now borne by the supposed violator whose structure was determined as encroaching public streets and roads. The focus of culpability is fixated on the present personalities now being tagged as violators of the law. Aside from the loss the alleged owner suffers from the demolition, there is public condemnation as law enforcers label them with unpleasant nametags for grabbing the public spaces they now occupy. For the sake of public order, the owners have no choice but to submit to the demolition of the property allegedly obstructing the public street or road.
Unseen by the public is the officials who must likewise be held liable for official actions or inactions that resulted in the erection of the structures that are situated on prohibited areas that encroach public streets and roads. In the case of private structures such as residential houses that are erected on roads and streets, its construction requires a building permit issued by the Building Official, else, the said official has the authority to stop the construction. The fact that the structures are now built and are obstructing public spaces, the concerned official may have been negligent in his duty to stop constructions without building permits. In the case of public buildings and structures, the officials who planned, approved, funded and issued the building permit may appear equally liable. So much damage in terms of cost of the structures had been wasted to clear the streets and roads at the expense of the owners while others who may be equally liable appear at this time of demolitions, clear?
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