4 Roses residents have until March to vacate lot

CEBU, Philippines -   The Regional Trial Court has ordered the residents of Four Roses Neighborhood Association in Sitio San Miguel Barangay Apas to vacate the lot they occupy until next month.

RTC Branch 9 Judge Olegario Sarmiento has given the residents until the end of March to voluntarily leave the place and remove all improvements thereon.

“For humanitarian reasons and in deference to the letter of the Cebu City Chief Executive, members of Four Roses and all occupants of the portion of Lot 937 have until the end of the month of March 2011 to voluntarily vacate such portion of the subject realty occupied by them and to voluntarily remove all improvements thereon,” the order reads.

Sarmiento said the court sheriff will enforce the writ of demolition immediately after the lapse of the grace period to protect the interest of the rightful owner of the property, Mariano Godinez.

The court also approved yesterday the withdrawal of Lawyer Ramises Villagonzalo as counsel for the residents after his legal services were terminated by the association. The residents’ second motion for reconsider and the motion to quash the writ of demolition previously granted by the court were likewise dismissed for lack of legal basis.

On July 29, 2010 the court ordered the demolition of the houses of the 102 residents occupying the property owned by Godinez. The residents asked for a reconsideration which was subsequently denied. —  (FREEMAN)