Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government promises to “intervene” in the impending demolition of homes in Barangay Kinasang-an that are occupied by Muslim families.
Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said the city plans to acquire the lot in question and convert this into a socialized housing site for qualified members of the Muslim Visayas Da’wah Homeowners Association.
With this, Garcia is asking the police to be cautious in their exercise police powers, especially when extending assistance in the implementation of demolition orders.
Garcia, a lawyer, said provisions of the Urban Housing Development and Housing Act should be upheld to also protect the interest of the affected urban poor settlers.
In a letter dated July 18, 2022, Garcia asked Police Brig. Gen. Roque Edwardo Vega, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), to be cautious when receiving and granting requests for police assistance, especially in enforcing eviction notices. He sent his letter for Vega on Tuesday, July 19, through the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
“It is my hope that your office, in carrying out the mandate of serving and protecting over constituents, we could work together in ensuring that development does not come at the price of leaving families without homes,” a portion of his letter reads.
This was already the second time that Garcia sent a similarly worded letter addressed to Vega. His first letter sent on Monday, July 18, touched on the plight of the families of retired soldiers in Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas who are also facing threats of eviction.
READ: Garcia to police: Be circumspect in the exercise of powers
In his second letter to Vega, Garcia said, he just learned that Muslim families in Barangay Kinasang-an were recently served their first eviction notice.
The homeowners association, he said, is recognized by the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) as among the socialized housing program beneficiaries here.
Garcia said the associations squats on a lot occupied by a certain Lorenzo Gabuya, who earlier filed ejectment case before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities.
“This concerns us because the Cebu City Government has already expressed its intent to purchase the property they occupy in Kinasang-an described as Lot 4671-G and 4671-C, from the heirs of Anania Rago, who, in June 20, 2016, wrote the City Government with an offer to sell,” Garcia said.
The city government, Garcia said, is also poised to file an ex-parte motion to intervene.
Garcia said they are determine to pursue the planned lot purchase despite questions on its true ownership. / dcb