Tension rose in Purok Magtiayon, Brgy. 10, Bacolod City, yesterday morning when the owner of the property, where several houses were destroyed by a fire incident that broke out on February 17, tried to fence off his property.

Barangay Captain Dexter Yap of Brgy 10, yesterday said he stopped the security guards sent by Rommel Agupitan from putting up perimeter fences in his property unless they could present a fencing permit and clearance from the barangay.

They also called Police Station 2 to help defuse the tension in the area, he said.

Yap said he was told that the Office of the Building Official allowed them to fence off the property, so he asked them to present a permit. They later proceeded to the city’s Action Center to seek a solution to the problem.

Agupitan gave the fire victims 14 months to put up their temporary shelters in his property to give them time to recover and find a relocation site, Yap said. They also asked Agupitan to survey the area to determine how many fire victims are included, he said.

Yap said the lot owner is offering to give the affected residents P3,000 per family and he plans to consult them if they will agree. He also wants to determine which relocation site they want to be transferred to, whether the Arao or the Vista Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay) relocation site.

The fire victims will be made to sign a memorandum of agreement individually with the lot owner and this will be ratified by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, he said, adding that they will also draft a resolution that will cover the terms and conditions of the lot owner for allowing them to temporarily stay in his property for 14 months.

Yap said the affected families are still temporarily sheltered at the BAYS Center and continue to receive relief assistance from the government and several private donors.

A portion of the property affected by fire is owned by Boy Montalvo, while Lots 3 and 4 are owned by Julius Esmeralda and Agupitan, respectively.*CGS

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