Capitol Site residents hold protest outside courthouse

CEBU, Philippines - Residents of Barangay Capitol Site in Cebu City yesterday held a rally at the Regional Trial Court to protest the demolition order issued by Judge Wilfredo Navarro.

The residents are calling for the amendment of the demolition order since they were allegedly not included in the original decision of the court.

  Matranillo Vergara, president of Capitol Site Domain Inc., said that holding protest is their way of calling the attention of the court that they were not supposed to be included in the demolition order since they are not occupying a private lot subject of the court decision.

He said their houses are situated on a public lot and not on Lot No. 6085-A-1 which is subject of the case. He added that there were more than 80 households living in the public lot which were included in the demolition order of Navarro.

During the rally, residents were bringing placards bearing the names of Navarro and Sheriff El Cid Caballes. Barangay Captain Manuel Guanzon was also present to support his constituents.

Guanzon said the decision of the court is in conflict with the order of demolition. Although there was no actual demolition yet, but the residents are asking the court to modify its order.

Guanzon together with the residents submitted before the court a barangay council resolution requesting Navarro to exclude in the demolition order the adjoining lot of Lot No. 6085-A-1.

 He said his constituents were “continuously subjected to or threatened with eviction and a writ of demolition served by sheriff Caballes” though they were not among the defendants in the civil case for unlawful detainer filed by the heirs of Mauricio Quijada Association Inc.

The Municipal Trial Court in Cities earlier decided in favor of the heirs. The case was appealed before the RTC which ordered the occupants to vacate.  (FREEMAN)