Pagpapalaya sa 7 katao iginiit matapos maaresto sa 'illegal' Cebu demolition

MANILA, Philippines — Umabot na sa pito katao ang inaaresto kaugnay ng isang demolisyon sa Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City sa probinsya ng Cebu — ang mga nabanggit ay agarang nais mapalaya ng mga progresibong grupo.

Martes lang nang mahuli ang dalawang residente ng Sitio Casia, Brgy. Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City kaugnay ng demolisyon, bago arestuhin ang iba pang taga-suporta't nakatira roon bandang 9 a.m. ngayong Miyerkules.

"One of the activists arrested is Kei Galon, chairperson of Anakbayan Cebu who has championed the rights of the youth and organized countless events in order to raise awareness of the youth's role to advance national democracy," ayon sa Facebook page ng Anakbayan Cebu.

"Howell Villacrucis,  current secretary general of AMA Sugbo KMU, [who was likewise arrested] was also red-tagged in 2018 during his youth activist days."

Maliban kina Galon at Villacrucis, nahuli rin ang Nagkahiusang Kabus sa Lapu-Lapu (NAKALAP) members ba sina Marjhun Amaroro and Belt Sasar habang nasa human barricade.

Kabilang naman sa mga arestado kahapon ay ang community members na sina Crisanto Gabutan at Julito Pedelion, na pawang hawak sa ngayon ng Lapu-Lapu Police.

"According to the affected residents, they were caught off guard as they received no prior notice about the demolition. Authorities cited a lapsed Compromise Agreement from 2006 and a judgment from 2007 as grounds for the demolition," banggit ng UP Cebu University Student Council sa hiwalay na pahayag.

"However, residents dispute this, asserting that the court dismissed the motion to revive these decisions in 2022."

Kanina lang nang ibalita ng Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno na umabot na sa 13 kabahayan ang giniba, maliban pa sa inaasahang demolition ng 39 iba pang tirahan.

"We call for their immediate release and for the financial and material of those that were illegally arrested and for the residents of Sitio Casia," patuloy ng Anakbayan Cebu.

"Many of them need first aid, food, and shelter for the coming days as harassment ensues in the community."

Hinihingian pa ng Philstar.com ng panig ang Cebu Police Provincial Office patungkol sa isidente ngunit hindi pa rin nagbibigay ng tugon magpahanggang ngayon.