By CESAR JOLITO III
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya issued another cease-and-desist order (CDO) against ongoing construction of a riprap along Sulom Creek in Barangay Villamonte, intensifying its crackdown on structures encroaching on waterways.
The CDO was issued following an inspection by Gasataya and key city officials, who visited the site after receiving reports of a concrete riprap being built on the creek’s easement.
According to City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu, the structure posed both legal and safety issues.
“When we inspected the area, we noticed that the land was very loose and may be prone to landslides, especially since there are residents living below the site. We do not want any casualties,” Chiu said, adding that the construction was in violation of multiple provisions of the Water Code, the National Building Code, and several environmental and local ordinances.
The order marks the second enforcement action in just a week as part of the administration’s renewed campaign to clear rivers, creeks and drainage channels amid persistent flooding concerns in the city.
City officials found that, although the owner had secured a fencing permit in May 2024, the project included unapproved deviations, inaccurate application data, and lacked required certifications from government agencies.
The fencing permit is now being recommended for suspension or revocation.
The inspection also revealed that the riprap encroached on the creek’s legal easement and obstructed a natural waterway — violations that officials say directly contribute to flooding in surrounding communities.
Gasataya emphasized the city’s obligation to uphold safety and environmental laws.
“This is in line with our commitment to ensuring that rivers and waterways remain free from obstructions that impede water flow and worsen flooding,” Gasataya said.
Earlier this week, the city issued another CDO in Barangay 20 for a concrete fence built along a creek. That structure has since been demolished by the property owner.
Barangay Villamonte Captain Rommel Flores confirmed that residents had earlier raised concerns over the construction, prompting a joint inspection with Barangay Mandalagan.
He noted that the riprap was originally wider but had evolved into a more substantial structure without appropriate technical review.
“They clarified to us that any alteration of the creek requires proper study before proceeding,” Flores said, citing guidance from the Office of the Building Official and the City Engineer’s Office./CJ, WDJ