Residents of Sitio Avocado, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City were left with no place to stay following the demolition of their homes this morning. | Alven Marie Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The demolition of homes built on a property owned by the University of the Philippines Cebu in Sitio Avocado, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City has started this morning, August 7.
As of 12 noon today, demolition crew members have started the destruction of at least two two-storey concrete structures that were built just across the Lahug barangay hall. At total of 74 houses are to be demolished in the area.
The demolition was enforced after Presiding Judge Generosa Labra of Branch 23 of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City denied a petition to hold in abeyance the implementation of the demolition order that was filed by the affected homeowners led by Condrado Abaño Jr.
But affected families complained that the demolition was illegal.
Jun Gulfan, president of the homeowners association, went to the Mobolo Police Station to file a blotter report against members of the demolition team, whom he accused of failure to present the required permits and certificates prior to the implementation of the demolition order.
Some of the homeowners also tried to block the way of demolition crew members but failed.
“Asa man mi pa puy-on nila nga wala man mi mo dawat sa relocation site nga gi hatag nila?” says Maria Asuncion Tapia, Gulfan’s common-law wife.
(Where are we supposed to go now since we did not agree to the relocation offer?)
Tapia claimed that they only met with UP Cebu officials once to discuss the need for both parties to enter into a pre-demolition agreement. They were also offered relocation then which the homeowners refused.
During the August 2 hearing of their petition to delay implementation of the demolition order, Tapia said they were told by Judge Labra that the clearing of their homes will be put on hold for now.
But demolition crew members suddenly appeared in their community past 10 a.m. today, August 7.
“We will implement whatever is issued upon us,” says Court Sheriff Reynaldo Enolpe.
Quoting the demolition order that he brought with him, Enolpe said that they were supposed to start the clearing of homes in the area on July 23 yet. But it was postponed to another date because of their need to seek police assistance.
Enolpe added that the affected families were also sent notices last week to inform them of the scheduled demolition of their homes today.
In her August 2 order, Labra corrected the residents claims against the alleged failure of UP Cebu to serve a copy of the notice of final judgement by the court to the Cebu City government and the National Housing Authority.
“The said requirement of the law has been complied with by the plaintiff/appellee. The record shows that consultation conducted in relation to the resettlement of defendants/appellants. In fact, a pre-demolition conference has already been conducted,” says the order dated August 2, 2019.
It added that a notice of pre-demolition conference were also sent to concerned government agencies including the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) among others.
The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) has also issued a Certificate of Committed Adequate Relocation on May 21, 2019 and signed by Chairperson Alvin Feliciano as proof that UP Cebu offered a relocation site in Barangay Busay for the affected families. /dcb