CH to intercede in Apas lot row

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government, on behalf of the residents of Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas, whose houses are subject of a demolition order from the court, is set to file a petition before the court seeking to delay for at least six months the scheduled demolition on March 4 for lack of relocation site.

Lawyer Collin Rossell, chief of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), said the city government will ask the court to consider the absence of relocation site as a reasonable ground to postpone the demolition.

Rossell said he will ask Mayor Michael Rama to sign the petition to be submitted before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, which issued the writ of demolition against the 157 houses on lots 942 and 947 based on the eviction case filed by Aletha Suico-Magat.

Rosell said it’s the city government’s obligation to provide relocation sites for the affected residents, but it is still looking for other available areas since the relocation sites in Barangay Lahug and Budlaan are already filled.

The affected residents led by Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman also sought the assistance of the City Council yesterday. The residents, during an executive session, expressed their sentiments to the members of the council about the impending demolition.

“Muhangyo mi na inyong tabangan. Gusto namo na imbestigahan g’yud unta ni’ng yuta-a o i-extend ang among pagpuyo didto,” Ayuman pleaded before the members of the City Council.

Ayuman and the residents firmly believe that the lot, through Executive Order No. 20, is owned by the provincial government of Cebu.

The barangay captain said the demolition is being pushed by “enterprising and unscrupulous individuals” in connivance with those who claim to be owners of the contested lots.

The residents’ plea for help resulted in a minor argument between Rossell and Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña.

Osmeña and the DWUP chief appeared to have been passing on to each other the responsibility to help the residents.

“They are here to appeal to the City Council na tabangan ninyo sila sa ilang problema.  It’s just like asking for an icing on a cupcake; they are asking help from the leaders that they have elected,” Rossell told Osmeña.

In response, Osmeña said the council wants DWUP to assist the residents because there was already a demolition order from the court.

“That’s why the City Council is asking the help of DWUP because this is already a legal matter,” Osmeña explained.

Vice mayor Edgardo Labella, who presided over the executive session, has also said that while the city government can intervene in the matter, its “hands are tied to discuss on the merits of the case” because of the pending case.

It was eventually agreed that the legal counsel of the residents, lawyer Feliciano Payot, will meet with the DWUP chief to work on the petition. — (FREEMAN)