DA-7 compound settlers told to vacate before end of May

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Capitol yesterday said the illegal settlers occupying the compound of the Department of Agriculture along M. Velez Street were given until the end of this month to vacate the area.

“Ang naa sa building, hangtod end of month nalang na sila diha dapat mohawa na,” said Paul Entera, supervising administrative officer of the Provincial General Services Office.

The Cebu Provincial Real Properties Protection Task Force yesterday conducted an ocular inspection in the area. Entera and Chief of Squatting Prevention  and Demolition Division Loy Madrigal accompanied the task force.

Madrigal said one building in the compound will be renovated as soon as possible because it will be used as government offices.

“Usa ka building dinha nga immediate na unta namong gamiton unya naay nagpagahi nga dili gyod mopahawa  kay ang claim niya under litigation pa kuno,” Madrigal said, adding that the lot is owned by the provincial government.

He said a certain Carlos Lucero, who was identified as the president of the homeowners association, posted a notice in the building that they will not vacate the area because it is still under litigation.

He added that the task force is willing to negotiate with the settlers, but it should not take ‘too long’ because of urgency in utilizing the building.

Madrigal said during the inspection, the task force found out that majority of the settlers in the vacated buildings are government employees from DA-7.

“We want our buildings back, kay atong gamiton sa offices sa Capitol. Wala ko kahibaw kon unsa nga offices ang ibutang didto, pero gamiton na nato,” he said.

He said the task force should secure the premises since some of the things in the vacated buildings were reportedly missing.

“Naa pa gani uban diha nga nagpabalay unya naa’y kuryente and ato nang ipa-subay sa VECO kun asa sila nagkuha,” he said.

Madrigal stressed that they will clear the area as soon as possible.

“Kun gahi gyod kaayo, dili mohawa, mag-file nako og formal complaint sa Ombudsman kaning naa sa government employees nga nag-squat ani nila,” he said when asked if the settlers would not heed the notice.

When asked whom to blame regarding the emergence of the illegal settlers, Madrigal said “I do not know sa past administration, pero ang karon nga administration, wala gyod na nato gi-tolerate.”

Entera said that Capitol has re-posessed the 6.2 hectare lot on July 23, 2010 from the DA-7. He said the compound has 22 buildings.

Eleven out of 22 buildings of DA-7 were vacated but were occupied by the illegal settlers. Five out of 22 buildings are still occupied until now by DA-7 office, three out of 22 were locked without things, and three out of 22 buildings were locked with things inside.

Entera said a total of 63 informal settlers were building their own homes in the compound but the task force could not determine a total number of settlers who occupied the buildings as shelter. — (FREEMAN)