GMA gives Bilibid area to squatters

President Arroyo disclosed yesterday she has ordered Department of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to set aside at least 50 hectares out of the vast tracts of land owned by the National Bureau of Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa for squatter resettlement area.

The President explained the DOJ Secretary has jurisdiction on this case because the land is owned by NBP, an agency under the supervision of the DOJ.

"Once I visited Muntinlupa where I met with squatter families living along the railroad, I told them they cannot be allowed to live in this danger areas," the President said.

"So I told them I would ask which owns the lands to give you out of 400 hectares of Bilibid, 50 hectares," she said. Unlike the previous Estrada administration, President Arroyo pointed out she would not allow relocation of squatter families in resettlement sites in the mountains of Norzagaray and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan where later on, the squatters return to Metro Manila to squat again.

"We need to look for areas that are nearby. So I was able to look for one at Bilibid in Muntinlupa," the President said. – Marichu Villlanueva