Residents object as BuCor puts up wall across road in Muntinlupa barangay

Residents of the National Housing Authority Southville 3 in Muntinlupa City denounced the Bureau of Corrections’ move to construct a concrete wall on their access road to the city proper.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s report on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday, the BuCor on Saturday erected a wall across Insular Prison Road, preventing residents from passing through the New Bilibid Prison to go to other areas in the city.

Residents said the BuCor coordinated with them on Thursday, announcing a lockdown, but did not tell them about the wall.

“‘Yong mga tulad naming namamasada, ‘yong mga pasahero, kami mga apektado [Tricycle drivers and passengers are mostly affected by this],” Romulo Buello said.

On Friday, Barangay Poblacion received a letter from BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag, informing the officials of BuCor's move to close down the path between NHA Southville 3 and the NBP’s minimum security compound due to security enforcement and the curfew.

However, the Muntinlupa City government said it was not informed of BuCor's plan.

“Magkaroon ng maayos na pag-uusap po sana bago gumawa ng aksiyon, hindi ‘yong basta-basta ganiyan na nagsara sila at nailagay sa alanganin ang kabuhayan ng mga tiga-NHA, Southville,” Muntinlupa City government spokesperson Tez Navarro said.

[The BuCor should’ve consulted us first before taking action because the livelihood of residents there in NHA Southville will be affected.]

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa City Representative Ruffy Biazon said the wall barrier on the Bilibid road is illegal and a nuisance.

“That wall is illegal and is a nuisance as defined by Article 694 of the Civil Code as it obstructs and interferes with the free passage of a public highway or street,” Biazon said in a statement.

“What is more alarming is that no proper coordination whatsoever was made with the city government of Muntinlupa and the barangay prior to the implementation of this order from BuCor,” he added.

He said the BuCor did not make any attempt to consult those who would be directly affected, including Southville 3 residents and usual users of the Insular Prison Road.

“There were also no consultations at all with concerned government agencies, national and local, including the NHA and the DSWD,” he said.

“Since the BuCor director was not available to talk to me yesterday and the officers present couldn’t make a decision to counter his order, I gave them time to take the matter up with him so he could decide,” he added.

Biazon pointed out that the wall “compromises the safety, security, and health of Southville 3 residents because it is blocking the most accessible entry into Southville 3, which will enable police, fire, and emergency services to quickly respond should the need arise.”

“It blocks the means for parents to get their children’s modules at the school located in Poblacion. The alternate route will take around 5-7 kilometers via Las Pinas and Bacoor, Cavite, with transportation cost increasing due to multiple PUV (public utility vehicle) rides,” he said.

He also said the wall sabotages a national government project, specifically the newly built Link road which connects Insular road to Biazon road, as it intentionally cuts off the intended users of the road.

On Saturday, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi wrote to BuCor director general Gerald Bantag, saying the closure of the road was “not in the spirit of the law,” citing Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.

Fresnedi said it would have been better if BuCor had afforded the city government and the affected residents “a little courtesy” by giving them notice of their plan to close the road so that all parties could come up with a viable solution to their respective problems. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News