CEBU, Philippines — Residents along Arellano Street in Barangays Tejero and Tinago in Cebu City appealed to Mayor Tomas Osmeña to give them relocation site before the city government will start clearing their houses.
Members of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) Team, however, started implementing the demolition order yesterday. But due to inclement weather, the demolition team discontinued the clearing operation for humanitarian consideration.
Some residents, however, voluntarily demolished their houses after they failed to secure an injunction order from the court.
“Gamay ra kaayo among gipangayo sa mayor nga kung kuhaon mi diri, tagaan mi og kabalhinan. Last nga demolish, ni-file mi og injunction para madugay mi, pag file namo og injunction gi-deny sa korte among kaso ug ni apilar mi,” said Cristina Villamor, president of the association in Sitio Silangan I.
Villamor said the court has yet to rule on their motion for reconsideration.
While waiting for the decision of the court, she said the city government should help them look for relocation site. She said they do not have any other place to go to because they have been living along the street for several decades already.
On July 10, 2018, PROBE Team Head Raquel Arce first implemented the demolition order. It was suspended after the residents filed a petition for injunction before the court.
“Kon nag kinahanglan siya og tao karong panahona, mohangyo ko. Kon iya man gali ming pahawaon diri, dili mi mosukol, dili mi mobalibad kay dili ni among lugar. Mohangyo lang ko nga hatagan lang mi og kabalhinan (I am asking that if he wants us to go, we will not resist, we will not refuse because this is not our place. I am only requesting that we will be given a relocation), ” Villamor said.
“Karong nag-uwan, unsay gibati nimo? Nakonsensya baka kun naa kay konsensya. Gamay ra among gipangayo, nganong dili mana nimo mahatag sa mga pobre? (Now that it is raining, how do you feel? Are you bothered by your conscience? We only have a very small request, why can’t you not give it to the poor?)” she added.
Arce said they only had at least six houses demolished yesterday before her team called off the operation because of the rain.
She said the City Hall already gave the residents enough time to vacate the area and look for their own relocation. — FPL (FREEMAN)