FIFTEEN families yesterday lost their homes in a court-sanctioned demolition in Sitio Feathers, Barangay Day-as, Cebu City.
Many of those affected by yesterday morning’s demolition were unprepared although the demolition was first implemented last Feb. 26. Some had nowhere to go while those who have money to spare considered renting rooms somewhere in the city.
Day-as Barangay Captain Jerome Puerto said that the local government is looking for a place that can be converted into a temporary shelter for the affected families.
“Wa ta'y area sa barangay pero nangita gyod mi bisan kabutangan nalang og tents aron makapasilong sila (We don’t have a place in the barangay but we will look for an area where we can put up tents),” he said.
Families were not allowed to stay at the barangay sports complex because it was booked as venue for various activities.
Puerto asked the families to stay with their relatives.
Relocation
Marlon Cabrillas, 33, one of the affected residents, said that they heard talks of a relocation site in Barangay Budlaan but no one verified the information.
Lawyer Colin Rosell, head of the Cebu City's Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), urged affected families to apply for relocation under the local government’s socialized housing program.
He said that those who will apply will have to undergo evaluation. “They just need to apply and we will see if they will qualify,” he said.
He said that part of the evaluation would be to determine if the families had availed themselves of the City’s relocation in the past.
“They must not have existing home and lot allocation in our relocation sites,” he said.
The demolition was ordered by Judge Wilfredo Fiel Navarro of the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 and carried out by a team led by Court Sheriff Dwight Camingue.
Members of the Special Weapons and Tactics team stood watch while the demolition was carried out.
Camingue said that the demolition in February was suspended when residents filed an appeal. Only 10 houses, which occupied the lot of Jose Ma. Castro, were demolished then.
Last Tuesday, Navarro denied the residents’ latest motion for reconsideration and ordered a resumption of the demolition.
Cabrillas said that his family has been living in the area for about 90 years. They used to pay rent but stopped doing so several years ago.
“Pero di sad makatarunganon nga ingon ani. Wala diay na sa balaod kini nga katungod (But this is an injustice. Isn’t there a law that protects our rights)?” Cabrillas asked.