MORE than 40 families who have settled on a tract of land owned by the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) along J.P. Laurel Avenue, whose houses were due for demolition Tuesday, demolished the houses themselves.

The Davao City Police Office (DCPO), which prepared to secure the area at dawn, went back to their headquarters thankful that no force was needed to enforce the court order.

Before break of dawn, the DCPO already prepared for the implementation of the demolition in the Bareza Compound based on a court order by former Judge Jesus V. Quitain of Regional Trial Court Branch 15.

Police wrapped tape over the muzzle of their guns, a measure to make it easy to identify who has fired his gun in any eventuality.

By 5 a.m., the police team moved to the area and quickly put up a demolition wall to protect the troops should residents put up a resistance.

But even before the court sheriff arrived, residents already started pulling their houses down. DCPO chief Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum expressed gratitude for the residents' cooperation.