CEBU, Philippines - The court-declared owner of two contested lots in Sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas, Cebu City has challenged Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman to prove his allegation of anomalies in the acquisition of the properties.
Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6 Judge Pamela Baring has already ordered the demolition of the homes inside the lot on March 4.
Assisted by her counsel Russel Pernites, Aletha Suico-Magat expressed dismay over Ayuman’s statement, as she has all the documents to support ownership of lots 942 and 947, which used to be part of the old Lahug airport.
She has the Transfer Certificate of Title under the name of her grandparents Santiago and Antonina Suyco.
Ayuman, she reportedly learned, planned to file a petition for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) before the Regional Trial Court to stop the demolition.
“I challenge him to prove his allegation. Ngano ana man siya ka concern nga last term naman na siya? Pila ba ka balay diha iya gipaabangan (Why is he that concerned when he is already in his last term? How many houses are he renting out in there)?†Suico-Magat said.
Pernites also questioned the personality of Ayuman in going to court to ask for the TRO.
Suico-Magat expressed vindication in her claim after Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III admitted that the Province does not own the contested lot.
She also said that Capitol General Services Office Supervising Administrative Officer Paulino Entera was wrong in asking the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to return the lots to Cebu Province.
She said MCIA General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete had already executed a deed of reconveyance to her on December 2, 2011.
Pernites told The FREEMAN that as of yesterday, the affected residents have yet to file their petition for TRO.
Ayuman earlier said filing of a TRO was agreed in a meeting with the Local Housing Board and the City’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP).
He said that it was also agreed upon by the housing board that they request the Cebu City Council to “urgently conduct an investigation on the demolition issue and previously identified socialized housing sites.â€
The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor will convene for a pre-demolition conference on Feb. 17 the affected homeowners, barangay officials, DWUP, and lot claimant Suico-Magat. (FREEMAN)