Apas residents to lose homes March 4 after court decision

CEBU, Philippines - Some 157 families in Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas, Cebu City once again are in fear of losing their homes after the court issued a writ of demolition against occupants of lots 942 and 947.

Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said they are looking at other legal remedies to prevent the demolition, the court set on March 4.

“We will resort to legal remedy kay naa may Executive Order (EO) No. 20. Nagtuo mi na ang lot owned gyud by the (Cebu) Provincial Government,” he said.

He was referring to an order that shows that the Capitol bought the contested lots from the National Government.

Lot 942 has an area of 9,753 square meters while lot 947 is 7,411 square meters.

The lots were previously used by the Bureau of Air Transportation as part of what used to be the Lahug aiport, which is now the Asiatown I.T. Park.

The residents argued that per provision of EO No. 20, the lots should have been returned to the Cebu Provincial Government since the airport is already gone.

In a Feb. 12, 2013 letter, Paulino Entera, Cebu Province General Services Office Real Estate Section supervising administrative officer, requested Engineer Nigel Paul Villarete, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority general manager, to return Lots 942 and 947, and five other lots to the Capitol.

Private claimant Aletha Suico-Magat was the one who filed for and got the writ of demolition against the residents.

Ayuman said he and his legal counsel would meet the residents on Feb. 17 to discuss their plight.

He said Apas has also passed a resolution requesting Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III to intervene in the matter.

The writ of demolition, dated Jan. 23, 2014, was issued by Judge Pamela Baring of Branch 6 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities.

The residents were given 30 days to voluntarily demolish their houses or vacate the area 30 days after receiving their copy of the order.

The residents were further ordered to pay P1,000 a month starting Nov. 19, 2012 until the property is vacated, and P10,000  in attorney’s fees.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the City Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, Presidential Commission of the Urban, and of the Police Regional Office-7 already were also furnished copies of the order.— /RHM (FREEMAN)