Belmonte apologizes over rude clearing operation

QUEZON City Mayor Maria Josefina Belmonte on Wednesday apologized for the ill-mannered clearing operations conducted by the Department of Public Order and Safety inside the University of the Philippines (UP) campus.

«It has come to our attention that the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) conducted road clearing operations in Pook Dagohoy, Pook Palaris, Area 1, and Area 2, Diliman and apparently destroyed and confiscated the property of vendors while undertaking this task,» Belmonte said.

The mayor added that the clearing operation was implemented upon the request of UP-Diliman Vice Chancellor Roehl Jamon.

Belmonte said that while the clearing operation was consistent with the directives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, it was imperative that it must be executed with the highest levels of empathy, compassion and respect for human rights.

Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina “Joy” Belmonte«Sadly, this was far from the case in today's operation.

»On behalf of the entire city government, therefore, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to all those who were aggravated by the poor handling of our DPOS enforcers," Belmonte said.

The mayor added that the city government would draft a framework for similar operations based on the principles of transparency, consultation, participation and minimization of harm for all concerned parties.

«Once this is finalized, we shall ensure that all our departments and agencies comply with its implementing rules and regulations,» Belmonte said.

Advertisement