Tuba settlers face eviction

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Illegal settlers at Mt. Cabuyao, Sto. Tomas area in Tuba town were given an ultimatum.

A notice of demolition was served to Antonio Coyupan days ago to peacefully take down structures within 15 days.

Tuba Mayor Florecio Bentrez said the notice of demolition stems from illegally constructed homes within a reservation area.

“You are hereby directed to demolish at your own expense, all the illegal structures introduce by you and your clan and immediately vacate the premises,” Bentrez said.

In his letter to Coyupan, Bentrez stressed, “Records show that you had been properly given previous notices to vacate said premises.”

Bentrez said Coyupan is illegally occupying the space and is squatting within the vicinity of Armed Forces if the Philippines Reservations located at Cabuyao, Sto. Tomas, Poblacion Tuba.

Bentrez said if the owners of the structures do not start demolition “this office will be constrained to initiate the demolition of the buildings under your expense.”

Copies of the notice were given to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Governor Nestor Fongwan and the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff.

In the area, there are numerous cases involving farmers illegally occupying. The residents have been using the land as vegetable gardens.

The DENR previously called on the communities in the site for a dialog to have a compromise agreement that aims to instill to locals a stop to the squatting phenomenon and to save what is left of the land in the area.