100 Parañaque families stage rally to protest demolition

MANILA, Philippines – More than 100 families in Parañaque City staged a protest rally in front of the Parañaque City Hall Thursday after police demolished their houses in Palasan, Barangay San Dionisio.

Romy Cabugnasan of the Partido Manggagawa and coordinator in the Parañaque area, said not one local official showed up in the rally last Thursday afternoon.

The Partido ng Manggagawa has been helping the members of the Palasan Neighborhood Association in their fight to be reinstated on the land they had occupied for many years.

Cabugnasan said after their houses were knocked down by police, their families were forced to build temporary shelters nearby.

Residents said police officers dumped their furniture, appliances, and other belongings at the Palanyag Tramo Cemetery.

During the protest, a commotion ensued as stones reportedly coming from the city hall were thrown at some 700 protesters, according to Cabugnasan.

A freelance cameraman, identified as Albert Lumbang, 51, of San Isidro, Sta. Ana, Pampanga, died when he lost his balance and hit his head on the pavement.

Meanwhile, Robert Labrador of the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP), a coalition of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, asked authorities to stop the demolition of houses in Palasan near the Amvel Subdivision.

The AMP called for financial assistance and decent relocation sites for the displaced families.

“Mayor (Florencio) Bernabe went (there) while the demolition was ongoing but went away without assisting the victims,” Labrador said.

Bernabe said the city government is willing to sit down with the affected residents and listen to their demands and grievances.

He clarified that they were not responsible for the demolition of houses as it was the City Regional Trial Court that gave the order to evict the families based on complaint filed by the owner of the land. – Rhodina Villanueva