Davide shuns evicted residents of Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines - Some residents affected by the demolition in Sitio Mahayag, Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City yesterday asked the Capitol’s intervention but Governor Hilario Davide III refused to face them.

Lanie Rosales, 35, together with 10 others, trooped to the Capitol to air their concerns to Davide. They appealed to the governor to check the relocation site provided to them by the Mandaue City government in Barangay Paknaan.

The residents claimed that the area is “risky” and “flood-prone.”

Rosales said the site is located between a fishpond and mangrove area.

“Bisan subayon pa tong lugar didto sa Paknaan, di gyud mo kaingon nga sakto tong lugara nga kabalhinan namo. Mostly sa among lugar naay daghang bata. Among gusto nga kung ibton mi sa among lugar, ibalhin pud mi sa lain nga hapsayon pud mi og butang. Di mi baboy, tawo pod mi,” she told reporters.

The residents further complained that the demolition went beyond the marker for the three-meter easement zone.

“Lapas na gyud sila, daghan balay naapil… Nangayo mi’g simpatya nimo governor kay wa gyud mi lain kaadtoan,” Rosales said.

The residents would have wanted to meet Davide personally but they were told that he was too busy to attend to them.

“Wala gud makighinabi namo ang governor two hours gud mi nagpaabot, busy kuno siya… Giingnan mi nga dili si Gov mogawas kay naay bisita,” Rosales texted The Freeman.

Davide, in an interview with the media earlier yesterday, said he would discuss the matter with Mayor Jonas Cortes.

“I want to find out kung unsa gyud ang root ana,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Housing and Urban Development Office denied the allegations that the demolition was done without following due process.

HUDO chief Tonypet Juanico said the city government complied with the conditions set under Executive Order 708 which requires among others, public consultations, notice to vacate, the giving of chances to the affected families to voluntarily tear down their houses, and facilitate for their transfer.

Juanico also denied the residents’ claim that the relocation site was muddy and flood-prone.

“Moangkon ko nga naay lapok apan mo dis-agree sad ko anang sulti nila nga magbaha sa maong lugar,” Juanico said. (FREEMAN)