Photo Courtesy of Ka Leody De Guzman Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody de Guzman said Saturday he was blocked from entering a residential area in Antipolo City, Rizal by security personnel of a real estate developer.
De Guzman said he was invited by an association called the Samakaba in Sitio Banaba, San Luis to speak about his government platform. De Guzman said he was denied entry to the residential area by security personnel of the Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation because he said, the real estate developer did not want the issue of property ownership tackled.
He said residents have been living in the area for 30 years but Winning Homes Realty has been claiming ownership of the land over the last three years.
In a video posted on his Facebook page, De Guzman can be seen explaining to a security guard and another personnel why he should be allowed entry into Audrey Heights subdivision.
“May claim kayo, tama. Kami, ‘yung mga tao, may claim din. Nasa labanan pa sa korte, kaya kung may karapatan kayo, may karapatan din sila na magpabisita. Ako [ay] bisita nila. Bakit ayaw akong payagan?” he asked.
(You have a claim, but the people also have a claim. It is still being contested in court, so if you have a right, they also have a right to have visitors. I am their guest. Why are you denying me entry?)
“Ako ay guest ng mga tao na may claim din. May claim kayo, may claim sila. Wala pang desisyon kung sino talaga ang totoo, kaya parehong may right, di ba?” he added.
(I am a guest of these people who also have a claim. You have a claim, they also have one. There is no decision yet on which is true, that’s why both of you have a right.)
However, according to Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation, De Guzman’s camp should have asked its permission, as well as the permission of the subdivision’s homeowners association before entering the area to conduct his election campaign activities.
Jennifer Alzona, marketing director of the company, said they were surprised that De Guzman and his camp were trying to enter the “premises of our private subdivision.”
“We have nothing against Ka Leody and his party’s campaign, his platform and his supporters, but as our development is a private subdivision, we should have at least been asked for consent to enter the premises of the ongoing development and also asked consent from the legal homeowners association of the subdivision—Audrey Heights Homeowners Association if they can do their campaign within our private community,” Alzona said in an email to INQUIRER.net.
“We are saddened by the false and unfounded accusations from Ka Leody and his supporters. We believe that they are being misled by a few of the disgruntled informal settlers in the area that have been trying to oppose development in Audrey Heights, especially in continuing the previous developers work to finish roads and facilities that are also for the betterment of the community,” she added.
According to Alzona, there are only “a handful of these disgruntled persons” among the 80 families “that have agreed and have already been awarded relocation and now living peacefully within the subdivision.”
“We are open to hearing Ka Leody’s platform and his aim for our country, but we also hope that he listens to facts before he spreads misinformation for the sake of his campaign and to gain supporters using false and baseless accusations,” she said.
INQUIRER.net has sought the comment of De Guzman’s camp regarding the statement of Winning Homes but has yet to receive a response as of posting.