Navy quarters eviction to push through

The Philippine Navy has mobilized 2,000 naval and Marine personnel to forcibly evict defiant and overstaying retired enlisted personnel occupying its naval quarters at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig.

Capt. Geronimo Malabanan, Navy spokesman, said the forcible eviction operations will push through tomorrow at the Navy Enlisted Homeowners Association Inc. (NHAI).

Malabanan said 2,000 Navy and Marine soldiers under the command of Marine Lt. Col. Gioksan Dammang will enter the area to "assist" retired personnel and their personnel in packing their belongings.

The Navy has procured boxes and crates, similar to those used during the forcible eviction of senior retired Navy officers from their occupied at the Navy Officers Village Association Inc. (NOVAI).

Malabanan said the Navy would also invite representatives from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to witness the eviction proceedings.

The Taguig local government is also sending their representative, Malabanan said.

At least 115 retired enlisted personnel and their families would be the subject of today’s eviction operations.

Navy eviction team dubbed as Task Force Bawi will be equipped with a fleet of trucks, forklifts and other heavy equipment from Navy units in Manila and Cavite. Malabanan said the Navy will provide M-35 transport trucks to overstaying enlisted personnel until Friday.

After Friday, overstaying enlisted personnel would be left on their own to transport their belongings outside Navy housing.

Dammang’s team was ordered to observe "maximum tolerance" during the eviction.

The eviction of overstaying generals at NOVAI was marred by a brief scuffle with Navy men kicking their way into some of the officers’ quarters.

The MEQ has a total of 225 housing units. At present, active duty soldiers occupy 103 while retired soldiers occupy 122 units.

In an earlier interview, Navy chief, Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga said that the eviction of unauthorized occupants at the Navy quarters at Fort Bonifacio is just part of his program to reclaim Navy property.