40 hurt in San Juan demolition

MANILA, Philippines -  At least 40 persons were hurt as illegal settlers and members of a militant group threw bottles and stones at workers who tried to demolish shanties at the Pinaglabanan Park in San Juan City yesterday.

President Aquino, who earlier ordered a moratorium on demolitions and relocation efforts until the government can draw up a master plan on informal settlers in a week or two, has ordered an investigation into the incident.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang said San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez told the President that the demolition would take place because the residents had agreed to a voluntary relocation to Montalban, Rizal.

 “Obviously something went wrong, that’s why violence occurred. The President is now ordering an investigation,” Carandang said. “The main issue was it was supposed to be voluntary. From what we saw, it looked like it was not the case. He wants to know what really happened.”

Policemen arrested 13 protesters, majority of them members of a left-leaning group, Anakbayan, and seized from them eight bolos and knives, three slingshots, two Anakbayan flags and a loudspeaker.

The demolition pushed through at around 3 p.m. after former President Joseph Estrada rushed to the scene and called for sobriety, explaining that only 103 residents would be affected as their houses are near the area where the new city hall building would be constructed.

The city government also promised to relocate the arrested residents to a site at Rodriguez town (formerly Montalban) in Rizal.

San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the residents have expressed willingness to be relocated during earlier talks but constant goading by members of militant groups prompted them to block the demolition.

Ejercito said the local government owns the Pinaglabanan Park, considered a historical site, but the residents countered that former President Cory Aquino distributed the lots to them during her term under an executive order.

The protesting residents, aided by Anakbayan members, hurled stones and empty bottles each time the demolition teams tried to enter the Pinaglabanan Park in Barangay Corazon de Jesus at about 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Crowd control police officers fought back with tear gas, but most of those affected were children and elderly residents who remained holed up in their shanties.

Inspector Danilo Anselmo said eight demolition crew members, five policemen and at least 12 protesters were wounded, but the number is likely to increase after his men checks with the San Juan Medical Center. – With Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano