Jovy Florentino carried her one-month-old baby out of their home in sitio Galaxy, barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City as demolition teams asked them to get out and take their belongings.
Florentino was among the 58 families who are now homeless after their houses erected on a lot originally owned by a certain Natividad Sonoria were dismantled. Sonoria’s heirs sold the property to a private company.
“We have no choice, we don’t own the lot,” said Florentino.
Raffy Rosasenia, president of the Galaxy Homeowners Association, said he did not know that the demolition would be implemented yesterday.
He had expected to be allowed to purchase the lot he was occupying where he built his P3-million house.
“I expressed my desire to own this lot and I am willing to purchase it. They told me verbally that I can buy the lot, but this happened,” says Rosasenia.
Court Sheriff Julbert Opada showed the court order for demolition, saying that Rosasenia refused to receive the letters.
Edna Baguio and Marilou Montegrande had lived in the place for more than 30 years, renewing their contract with the owner every three to five years.
“The relocation site they gave us is unacceptable, we prefer that they give us P14 million which would be divided among the group members to compensate for the developments we have introduced,” Montegrande said in Cebuano.
Baguio asked why the demolition pushed through when the case is still pending with the Court of Appeals.
The Commission on Human Rights said the demolition was legal. Social welfare officers gave out food.
“There is no certiorari from the Court of Appeals, so the order for demolition must be executed,” says Primo Cadampog, Special Investigator of CHR-7.