THE Quezon City government on Wednesday issued an apology for the poor handling of road clearing operations in Barangay UP Campus in Diliman last April 23.
The Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety on Tuesday conducted road clearing operations in Pook Dagohoy, Pook Palaris, Area 1 and Area 2, Diliman, and destroyed and confiscated the property of vendors while undertaking the task.
“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 (Department of Public Order and Safety) enforcers,” QC Mayor Joy Belmonte said in the statement.
The QC government said that based on their initial investigation, the clearing was done upon the request of University of the Philippines Diliman Vice Chancellor Roehl Jamon, who coursed the appeal through the Barangay UP Campus’ Punong Barangay, Lawrence Mappala.
However, Belmonte said the actions by the DPOS while undertaking the task were far from the goal of the city government, which demands from their workers “the highest levels of empathy, compassion, and respect for human rights.”
In implementing activities such as road clearing, she said there should always be full coordination with all the stakeholders, supported by clear and timely lines of communication.
“While this clearing operation was consistent with recent directives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, there is clearly a need to remind those who implemented it that their job demands the highest levels of empathy, compassion, and respect for human rights,” a statement issued by the city government, said.
“Full coordination should likewise be done with all the stakeholders, supported by clear and timely lines of communication,” it further stated.
“Sadly, this was far from the case in today’s Tuesday operation,” the city government said.
The city government said it is doing its best to prevent a repeat of the same situation.
“Please rest assured that we have already started drafting a framework for future operations of this nature based on the principles of transparency, consultation, participation, the minimization of harm, and optimal outcomes for all concerned parties.”
“Once this is finalized, we shall ensure that all our departments and agencies comply with its implementing rules and regulations,” the city government said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline UP Diliman official requested clearing ops inside campus – QC LGU