CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Hall has been once again caught off guard by another demolition that has actually started since Monday.
After learning about the demolition yesterday morning, City Hall officials immediately proceeded to sitio Mahayahay in Barangay Carreta where they met Court Sheriff Edilberto Suarin, who implemented the writ of demolition.
Suarin of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities was the same sheriff who implemented the demolition order in sitio San Miguel, Barangay Apas last week that the Regional Trial Court ordered stopped.
"Na surprise na lang mi kay apparently, laing demolition na sad ang nahitabo sa Carreta. Wala man gud sila nakig coordinate nato," said lawyer Janneses Ponce, executive assistant to Mayor Michael Rama.
Suarin was armed with a final notice to implement the writ of demolition order issued on February 23, 2013 by MTCC Judge Pamela Baring-Uy, the same issuing judge in the Apas' demolition.
It was learned that the writ of demolition was implemented only last Monday due to the motions previously filed in court, but it eventually pushed through because the residents reportedly did not file an injunction case.
Suarin, in an interview over GMA-7 Balitang Bisdak, said a 35-man team so far demolished 20 out of 35 houses as of yesterday, although the copy of the writ showed that there are 117 families affected.
The ejectment case was filed by one George Gimenez, who was represented by Rene Anthony Chaves, who claims ownership to the 850 square-meter lot.
Ponce said that after confirming the ongoing demolition, he directed Suarin to refrain from placing the debris of the demolished houses along J. de Vera Street, which will be used for the road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
"In upholding the right of the land owner, the public should not be burdened," stressed Ponce.
Ponce said they could not intervene in Carreta as much as they helped the affected families in Apas because of time constraints.
"It's just that naa man sa'y nakit-ang technical (problems) sa Apas case. Di sad tingali pwede na ma technical si Suarin twice," Ponce said.
Lawyer Collin Rosell, head of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), said that as always, they will provide relocation sites to the affected residents.
The residents in Carreta conducted a human barricade to hopefully stop the demolition but it still pushed through even until yesterday.
Dionisio Suico, one of the affected residents who said to have been living in the place for over 20 years now, alleged that land title that Gimenez acquired is faked.
He and the other residents claimed that they were surprised by the sudden demolition.
Suarin, however, said he had already informed the residents about it last year.
The court sheriff said that he had nothing to do if the residents continue to protest since he is only implementing the court order. (FREEMAN)