1 dead, 40 hurt in Sucat demolition

MANILA, Philippines - One died while 40 people, including policemen, were wounded when a demolition of a wet market in Sucat, Parañaque City turned violent yesterday morning.

Arnel Leonor, 22, died during a clash between the police and the squatters of Silverio Compound along Sucat Road. The Southern Police District (SPD), which supervises Parañaque, has ordered an investigation to find out if the bullet that hit Leonor in the head belonged to the police.

The 39 wounded — seven of them policemen — were either rushed to the nearby hospitals or were attended to by the Philippine Red Cross.

The demolition of about 40 to 60 establishments in the slum was supposed to take place about 7 a.m. as part of the staggered demolition of the illegal structures in the nine-hectare land, based on an order by a Parañaque court.

According to Superintendent Benliner Capili, the residents had blocked the compound’s narrow entrance since Sunday night. 

“The agreement among us is that no one will leave and that we will fight for the right to stay here,” said 53-year-old Mila Madamsila, a resident of the compound and one of the 32 arrested for the riot.

The residents have also put up barriers on the northbound portion of Sucat Road, about 300 meters away from the compound, to block the police officers and the demolition team, which included firefighters and medical workers.

The situation had been tense since 7 a.m. The residents, who had been blocking Sucat Road, declined to leave, forcing northbound vehicles to take an alternate route from N. Lopez Avenue.

Despite the stalemate, the city government and the residents managed to hold a negotiation. A fire truck even retreated and the police barricade also dispersed, making the residents cheer and applaud. 

Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez joined the negotiation but when the talk failed, a riot erupted. Olivarez said he asked the residents to remove the barriers to mitigate the heavy traffic, but they refused. “Kayo na ang magdesisyon (You make the decision)!” Olivarez continuously shouted to some residents.

The residents started to throw rocks at the policemen, prompting them to move forward again. Some of the residents were even reportedly using makeshift slingshots, bows and arrows, prompting the policemen to shoot and throw teargas canisters to disperse the crowd.

Situation normal

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said violent demolitions “have become a norm under the Aquino administration” as he noted that the group has a local chapter in the compound.

He condemned the violence that ensued in the attempted demolition, saying there are “clear violations in the rules of engagement and maximum tolerance that resulted in the bloody confrontation between residents and fully armed” Special Weapons and Tactics and Special Action Force police officers.

Mariano said that Silverio Compound residents sought his help on the land dispute in the area. He said there are four claimants to the Silverio Compound property, which measures 9.7 hectares: Yolanda Liongson, Bueventura, Magdiwang Realty Corp., Filhomes Realty Development Corp. and the Parañaque City government.

On the other hand, SM Development Corp. said yesterday that for the record, SMDC is not the owner of the compound, is not in any way involved in the demolition or the dispersal of the protesters, and the firm was “only made aware of what is happening” in the compound through the media.

The Commission of Human Rights, on the other hand, will initiate an investigation of the violent demolition, CHR chairwoman Loretta Ann Rosales said yesterday.

She said she will send a team to check if the police officers used guns on the protesters and look into the “issue of the right to decent housing of the residents. We will meet with local government officials and the local police to check what really happened and what structures they really intend to demolish.” – With Paolo Romero, Rhodina Villanueva, Jaime Laude