DAVAO City Councilor Bonifacio Militar is pushing to probe the alleged inhumane treatment of residents of Riverside Ma-a by security guards of Qualiserv under the instruction of the lot's landowner.
Militar yesterday said his office received a letter dated February 12, 2018, from a certain Maritess Carvajal Lapiz requesting for food assistance on behalf of Purok 26, Camarine, Riverside Maa-a as residents were locked inside the premises of the property owned by a certain Lucy Lim Gonzales.
"The affected residents’ primary concern is food access and safety for adult residents and children alike who witnessed the violence committed," he said. Witnesses claimed there were gunshots. They reported this to the police.
Militar said the residents in the area are deprived of food and their livelihood as their vegetable gardens were destroyed. The residents supply vegetable to Bankerohan Public Market. The children were likewise prevented from going to school.
He said in response to call for assistance, a group was formed under his office to provide rice porridge (lugaw) to hungry residents who do not have food access outside the locked/fenced premises. However, the group coming from his office was not allowed to enter and to provide porridge to the residents, especially the children.
Militar said the residents of Camarine, Riverside, Ma-a were allegedly offered relocation by the owner of the property. However, upon verification it turned out the property being offered is subject to a court/judgment/levy and portion of it is being occupied by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines leaving the residents without any relocation.
The city councilor asked the committee on human rights, led by Councilor Lea Librado-Yap, to investigate the matter.
Attached to the resolution, which was approved yesterday, are the letter from Lapiz; pictures of the destroyed houses; the personnel of Qualiserve manning the area; and the Philippine National Police incident form.