Malapitan to Araneta: Name pols behind employee’s slay

MANILA, Philippines - Carmel Development Inc. chairman Gregorio Araneta III should name the politicians he claimed planned the murder of a CDI community relations officer last month and financed informal settlers in Pangarap Village to fight eviction, Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan said yesterday.

“There are a lot of elected officials in the city. Who is he referring to? We met with the settlers because they came to see me and (District 1 and 2 Councilors Aurora Henson Jr. and Karina Teh, respectively). We are not about to drive them away,” Malapitan told The STAR, referring to a meeting with Pangarap Village representatives at the city hall on May 28.

Araneta earlier said that Criminal Investigation and Detection Group probers are eyeing a syndicate – which reportedly includes elected officials – that set up victim Ricardo Mago.

Mago was killed by two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle a few hours before Malapitan met with more than 100 residents of Pangarap Village seeking help against what they described to be “a systematic harassment” by CDI.

He said he told the residents the city council may only pass a resolution, not an ordinance.

That night, Teh sponsored a resolution condemning CDI’s alleged “repressive acts.”

Teh told The STAR that CDI banned the entry of all public utility vehicles servicing the residents of the two barangays and refused representatives of Manila Electric Co. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. access to the village, covered by Barangays 181 and 182, which led to the cutoff of water and electricity to their homes.

Money and votes

Araneta earlier alleged that the syndicate, in connivance with several politicians, has been blocking the relocation of the residents because they will lose their monthly income of P2.5 million and “sure votes” during elections.

Malapitan said it is the first time he heard the allegations although he had known the problems in Pangarap Village, having served as a two-term congressman in District 1.

The, on the other hand, told The STAR in a text message that she wants to “ensure that the residents of Pangarap be treated humanely.”

Pangarap Village was given to members of the Presidential Security Group via Presidential Decree 293 issued by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1973. However, the Supreme Court ruled that the property was taken from the Araneta family without just compensation.

According to a memorandum issued by CDI to Barangay 182 chairman Rowell Brin, the property is “being considered by the government as the future Metro Rail Transit depot for MRT 7 that will run from EDSA to Tungkong Mangga in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.”