Despite the tension over the demolition of some establishments at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) on Thursday, the hospital chief said the eviction of the occupants of the illegal structures will give way to the construction of a five-story dialysis building.
The new dialysis building will house 200 hemodialysis machines, which will cater to the rising number of renal patients from Quezon City and nearby provinces.
NKTI executive director Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete said that prior to the demolition, 25 families were occupying the 5,000-square-meter hospital area facing the Quezon City Elliptical Road.
“These families were disqualified for housing privileges by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Local Housing Board as they are not informal settlers, but were tenants of these illegal business establishments, who still refused to vacate,” Liquete said in a statement.
According to the transfer of certificate of title received by the NKTI from the NHA in 2014, the hospital is obligated to eject the illegal business establishments occupying the contested area.
In 2018, these establishments were declared illegal by the Quezon City Business Permits and Licensing Office.
The Department of the Building Official had also “declared the absence of any building permits for the construction of any structure inside the contested property.”
But Liquete said the business establishments continued to operate despite such declarations.
Demolition allowed
The NKTI asserted that despite a moratorium on demolitions during the ongoing pandemic, “Section 28 (b) of the Urban Development and Housing Act states that eviction or demolition may be allowed when government infrastructure projects with available funding are about to be implemented.”
However, tension arose when the NKTI began the demolition of the illegal business establishments inside the hospital property on Thursday.
A lawyer identified by the police as Noel Valerio, 54, was arrested for “disobedience to authorities and obstructing a legitimate demolition of structures of illegal settlers” at the NKTI compound.
According to the Quezon City Police District, Valerio shouted at the demolition team from the Quezon City Task Force for the Control, Prevention and Removal of Illegal Structures and Squatting around 10 a.m. on Thursday.
Police said Valerio also ordered the illegal occupants not to leave the property, which allegedly led to a commotion during the demolition.