Demolition stay on lot

A temporary restraining order was issued last week against the demolition of four houses located in a lot marked for an urban poor project of the city government in barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City.

Judge Soliver Peras, first vice executive judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cebu City, issued the order after hearing the complaint filed by four occupants of the lot. The occupants filed a civil suit against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, three City Hall departments and an urban poor association.

In their complaint the plaintiffs claimed to be legitimate tenants of a private lot owned by Anabel Abella-Bono.

Also named as respondents were the city’s Squatters Prevention, Encroachment, Elimination Division (Speed), the Local Housing Board (LHB), the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) and the C. Padilla B. Aranas Urban Poor Homeowners Association.

The plaintiffs started building their houses in the area in the 1970s. Adjacent to the lot is a parcel of land owned by Erlinda Abella, Anabel’s sister.

Sometime in 1996, the plaintiffs said Erlinda organized the C. Padilla B. Aranas Urban Poor Homeowners Association and they asked if they could join them.

Their request was denied by officers and members of the association since the plaintiffs were lessees of Anabel. The lot was later sold to the city government.

The plaintiffs said they didn’t receive any notice from either sisters that the portion of the lot they are occupying will be used for socialized housing .

They said Anabel even continues to collect rentals from them. Last year, the plaintiffs said Rama recommended that they become beneficiaries of the city’s program.

But they were surprised when they received a Notice of Demolition from Speed last Jan. 19. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol