Rama on Lot 937 controversy: ‘I made a stand to be with the poor’

Residents of Lot 937 in Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas, Cebu City block the entrance to their area to prevent the demolition of their houses on Thursday, October 13, 2022. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama on Monday, October 17, 2022, assured the affected residents living in the controversial Lot 937 in Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas, here, that the city government has their backs.

The mayor, after the early morning flag-raising ceremony on Monday, said that the negotiation he had with the sheriff and those who claimed to be the owner of the controversial lot “was not easy,” but said the city will not stop helping its residents.

“It was not an easy thing to do. It was not easy. I do not have to explain this to all of you. I have discussed this with my MWF (mayor’s workforce) about the complexity that your Mayor had made a stand. I made a stand to be with the poor,” he said.

“There was even a time when there is a problem because naay order sa [demolition] and I said no. Muabot gani ang sitwasyon, mag-abot na ta. Patya ko ninyo, I will be in a barikada. Pasabot, tua ko sa barikada,” he added.

More than a hundred families residing on Lot 937 in Barangay Apas in Cebu City were given two weeks, or until October 27, to vacate or relocate, before the demolition order will be carried out.

This was after Rama, along with other city hall officials, including Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and Councilor Edgardo “Jaypee” Labella II, mediated during the supposed demolition scheduled last Thursday, October 13.

READ: Homeowners of Lot 937 in Barangay Apas given 2 weeks to vacate

Anne Martel, leader of the homeowners’ organization of the affected lot called the Archangels Residence Mergence Inc. (ARMI), said that they will use the said time to also work on their appeal against the demolition, as they claim that there are illegalities in the procedure.

A group of demolition crew went to the area last Thursday to carry out a writ of demolition in the area dated March 5, 2010, and July 20, 2010.

However, affected residents blocked the entrance to the area near IT Park going to Sitio San Miguel and then asked city officials for help.

ARMI maintained that the 2010 writ of demolition order is a “stale decision” as per information from their legal adviser, and cannot be executed under the law.

The group furthered that since the deceased Mariano Godinez, the claimant of the lot, sold the property to a corporation in 2018, he has no more legal personality to the case.

The city council earlier instructed its Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor to create an action plan to help residents of Lot 937 in case the ongoing legal dispute involving the controversial lot will not favor them.

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