Impossible requirement for landowners

Here’s one more plaint expressing the continuing frustration and exasperation of landowners whose properties are occupied by squatters.

Recently, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued an instruction requiring local government units to conduct a “pre-demolition consultation” before implementing a writ of demolition issued by a court.

Supposedly, the consultation is to be participated in by 14 agencies of the government, which, as one can imagine, is next to impossible to convene.

As could be expected, LGUs that coddle squatters are only too happy to seize the opportunity to delay forever the holding of the required consultation and consequently prevent the execution of a legally issued court order.

What kind of government do we have?

—ROBERTO SIMPLICIO,

Buendia, Makati City