MATI CITY, July 5 -- A court order is not needed for clearing public roads, aligning police actions with Republic Act 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) and a Department of the Interior and Local Government circular on removing road hazards.

The local police thus affirmed the right to public access to solve a dispute in Barangay Macambol here, following an operation that dismantled a barricade on a vital road.

The action underscored the government's commitment to ensuring unimpeded public access for community welfare and economic development, Davao Region police spokesperson Maj. Catherine Dela Rey said in an interview Saturday.

Dela Rey said the police removed a barricade near Hallmark Mining Corporation on July 2, allegedly set up ...