Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella stopped the demolition of houses in Sitio Kamansi, Barangay Mabolo yesterday.
Labella said this is the fourth time that informal settlers occupying the private lot owned by Aznar Enterprise Inc. were spared from a court-ordered demolition.
However, when Labella arrived in the area, the demolition team had already demolished about six of the 100 houses covered by the order.
Labella said the City filed its fourth motion to postpone the demolition to give the local government unit ample time to prepare the relocation site in the mountain barangay of Binaliw.
Last February 5, members of the Mabolo Urban Poor Homeowners’ Association (MUPHA) and Labella signed a deed of undertaking stating that MUPHA will vacate the lot.
They said they will demolish their structures by April 30 or when classes are over.
But when Labella talked with the lawyers of the Aznars yesterday, they agreed to give the occupants until February 29 to voluntarily demolish their structures and vacate the property.
“I went to court yesterday asking to grant our motion, but it was denied. This is the fourth time that we asked for postponement, so by Feb. 29, they will have to transfer to the relocation site,” said Labella.