MANILA, Philippines—Metro Manila squatters have found a champion in Commission on Human Rights Chairwoman Leila de Lima who has vowed to ask Congress for a moratorium on shanty demolitions.

Some 300 urban poor marched from the National Housing Authority to the CHR office in Quezon City on Tuesday seeking a stop to violent evictions in Metro Manila.

In a dialogue with De Lima, the group portrayed Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando as a “devil” for demolishing their shanties, and De Lima as an “angel” for upholding their rights.

“The demolition of our homes is inhuman. They’ve bulldozed our homes without enough notice,” said Rosemarie Esmilla, 32, resident of a slum area in Balintawak, Quezon City.

She said the squatters have found a champion in De Lima who has begun investigating MMDA personnel for evicting squatters in violation of their rights.

De Lima told the group she agreed with a moratorium on demolitions until loopholes in the law have been plugged, and would ask the commission en banc to issue a resolution on this.

“I support your proposal for a moratorium since the provisions of the law are not being implemented,” she told the marchers gathered at the CHR quadrangle.

She said the shanties of informal settlers were being demolished without consultation and promise of relocation, as mandated by the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA).

“The passage of the UDHA several years ago was billed as a breakthrough for informal settlers. As we’ve seen over the years, the deficiencies of the UDHA have become apparent,” she said.

De Lima said the resolution would be forwarded to both chambers of Congress, the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor, the NHA and local government units. The urban poor presented her with a manifesto containing proposals to plug the loopholes and put more teeth into the law.