Cebu City Hall to pursue plaint against court sheriff

Lawyer Benjamin Militar (left) talks to his clients, the displaced families of sito San Miguel, barangay Apas after their hearing for their petition for reconsideration on the denial of their motion for a temporary restraining order at the sala of Judge Alexander Acosta.

While residents of over 100 homes in sitio San Miguel, barangay Apas wait for a court ruling on their petition for a temporary restraining order on a demolition order, a Cebu City official wants to elevate the case to the attention of Congress.

Aside from pursuing a criminal and administrative complaint against court sheriff Edilberto Suarin, lawyer Jade Ponce said the Land Management Council that he chairs will also discuss how the city should handle demolitions.

“We will meet with Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, Councilor Alvin Dizon and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to discuss how the city can respond to demolitions like that of Apas,” Ponce said.

He said even if other local government units or public entities own disputed lots in the city, the city government will still have to look out for the welfare of its constituents especially in terms of relocation.

The lawyers of the San Miguel families and barangay officials are still hoping for a TRO on the demolition. Ponce said they will just wait for the judge’s decision.
Land grabbing

Tension rose during last week’s demolition after Suarin pushed through with the demolition despite complaints by residents and barangay officials that the demolition team had no ID cards and employed minors as well.

The Department of Labor and Employment ordered a halt in the demolition after it learned that the demolition team employed a minor,

As this developed, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon said he will file a resolution with the Cebu City Council in their Wednesday session this week asking Congress to investigate the conduct of demolitions in urban poor communities.

Apas barangay chairman Ramil Ayuman welcomed Dizon’s resolution that also asked Congress to review the 22-year-old Urban Housing and Development Act (UDHA).

“There are other areas identified as socialized housing sites which have claimants and are being used by big businessmen. This should be investigated at depth  because I think this is systematic land grabbing,” said Ayuman a member of the Local Housing Board.

Dizon, said he would ask Akbayan party list representatives Walden Bello and Barry Gutierrez to ask the  congressional committee on housing and development to include in its inquiry the demolition of houses in sitio San Miguel, barangay Apas.

Complaints

Dizon said the congressional committee chaired by Rep. Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental’s 3rd district should look into the complaints of the violation of the rights of the displaced urban poor families.

Dizon is asking the Lower House committee to consult and conduct a dialogue with housing and urban poor stakeholders   “to make the law more responsive and relevant by ensuring that the rights of the informal settlers are protected.”

Dizon’s resolution will also request the Supreme Court to study the issuance  of guidelines that will govern the execution of writs of demolition and eviction. With Correspondent Edison delos Angeles