Six senior Navy officers get retired generals’ quarters

Six active senior officers finally moved into the disputed housing projects at the Fort Bonifacio Naval Station in Taguig City, a day after retired Navy officers were forcibly evicted from their quarters for overstaying.

Navy Vice Commander Rear Admiral Abraham Abesamis, concurrent chairman of the Navy Housing Board, presided over a ceremony during which six Navy and Marine officers were given keys to the houses.

Those initially awarded the housing units were Navy Capt. Isabelo Gador, Lt. Col. Jose Johmel Cenebra, Cmdr. Narciso Vingson, Cmdr. Gilbert Naldoza, Lt. Col. Arthur Biyo and Lt. Col. Ramon Tan.

Navy spokesman Capt. Geronimo Malabanan said the six officers were allowed to stay in the quarters which were vacated by their erstwhile superiors last Saturday.

More than a thousand troops under "Task Force Bawi" launched the major operation to evict dozens of retired officers who have been squatting on the base, some for over a decade.

The eviction came after the Makati and Pasig regional trial courts denied their appeal for a temporary restraining order against the eviction notice issued by the Navy last week.

While most of them already signified their intention to leave, their failure to meet the deadline to vacate their quarters last Saturday forced the Navy top brass to begin the forcible eviction.

Abesamis welcomed the new residents of the Navy Village and congratulated members of the task force for the successful conclusion of Oplan Balik Bahay.

"This is a simple gesture of the Navy leadership led by Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga of manifesting its commitment to the morale and welfare of the men and women of the Philippine Navy," Abesamis told the six officers during the turnover ceremony.

Malabanan, on the other hand, made assurances that the Navy is also addressing the complaints of the retired officers who were forcibly evicted from their quarters.

"The eviction per se is almost completed today (yesterday) and what’s only remaining is some of the personal belongings. We have already awarded six housing units to officers of the Navy and the Marines, and we will continue to award others maybe tomorrow or the next day," Malabanan told reporters.

Abesamis criticized the retired officers who initially refused to leave their quarters.

He told the new occupants to "honor their contracts of occupancy that stipulate they have to vacate their government quarters on the date of their retirement so that same privilege will be extended to their junior officers."

"Let us meet our mutual obligation in this contract," Abesamis told the new awardees.

The Navy has ordered about 56 retired officers and their families to leave their state-provided housing inside Fort Bonifacio, citing regulations that officers should leave such housing within 60 days after their retirement.

Many of the retired officers have agreed to move out but more than a dozen retired officers have vowed to resist, insisting they are entitled to the land they are occupying.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga said the retired officers must go, citing the frequent complaints by younger officers who say they are forced to rent houses off-base due to the lack of military housing.

Mayuga said the retired officers were well aware of the contract they signed during their active service in the Navy.

The contract stipulated that they have to vacate the quarters 60 days after their retirement or resignation, he pointed out.

Despite reasonable demands for them to vacate, Mayuga said the 56 retired officers have refused to yield, forcing the Navy to kick them out.