CEBU CITY -- As if losing their homes to a fire Tuesday night were not enough, more than 250 residents of Barangay Lahug won't be able to rebuild their homes if the property owner makes good its plan to fence off the area.

Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos received a letter Wednesday from the University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) seeking the barangay's help in securing its property, upon the recommendation of its committees and in observance of university rules and policies.

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The problem, however, is that the property it seeks to secure is within an area that was struck by a fire Tuesday night that left 65 families homeless.

De los Santos, however, believes the affected residents may not take UPVCC's claim lightly, especially since they are still in a state of despair.

"If that happens, I'm sure ang akong mga lumolupyo will revolt," de los Santos told Sun.Star Cebu.

She added that due to the "insensitivity" of the UPVCC, she would rather prioritize defending her affected constituents than the university.

"We will definitely file a case if they push through with their plan," said de los Santos.

In a radio dyLA interview on Wednesday, UPVCC property custodian Virgilio Nuñez, who called up while de los Santos was being interviewed, said the university's anti-squatters and land use committee recently met and decided that with de los Santos's permission, they want to secure the area affected by the fire.

Nuñez added that in order to firmly secure their claim on the area, they plan to fence it off and may possibly place blue guards around the area to stop anyone from encroaching within it.

De los Santos said she was shocked to hear of the development, saying UPVCC is allegedly using the fire to immediately secure and fence off the area, so that those affected in the area can no longer rebuild their houses.

She told Sun.Star Cebu on Wednesday that UPVCC was being "insensitive," considering that most of the affected residents have nowhere else to go and it's barely just a month away before Christmas.

"It's very untimely, inconsiderate and (it's) taking advantage of the situation. They're like thieves in the night," said an angry de los Santos in a phone interview Wednesday.

De los Santos said UPVCC should have mulled over its claim before acting on it, especially that more than 250 residents affected by the fire have no evacuation site to go to as their temporary home.

De los Santos added that UPVCC officials should have consulted her and the affected residents through a public hearing before doing anything regarding their claim.

UPVCC supervising administrative officer (SAO) Alsidry Sharif, who signed the letter to de los Santos, refused to comment on the matter and hopes that UPVCC head officials could clear the issue. (JKV/Sun.Star Cebu)