SOME 200 households were affected by the implementation of the writ of demolition yesterday morning, September 13, at Sangilagan Gem Village, Barangay Maa, Davao City.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Police Colonel Alexander Tagum said they deployed a total of 550 security personnel to secure the three-hectare area in Maa and to assist the demolition team who implemented the writ of demolition issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15.
This is also to ensure that the activity will be pushed without any violence.
“Everything is peaceful and orderly. All affected local residents have shown cooperation to the Court Sheriff who implemented the Writ of Demolition,” Tagum said. “It was successfully implemented with no untoward incident.”
Tagum said that it is their duty to side with the demolition team provided that the latter is equipped with the necessary documents to implement the law.
Some of the residents voluntarily demolished their houses. Although some have put barricade to prevent the entry of authorities, this did not stop the implementation of the demolition order. The affected residents are calling for government assistance as some claimed that there is no relocation area provided for them.
Tagum said based on the residents, they’ve been living in the village since 2002 and they knew that the land is owned by a private person.
“They were well informed through a series of meetings/conferences with other government agencies, although their homes were demolished, they were still thankful because they benefited from the land for so many years,” Tagum said.