SolGen to appear in Apas case; settlers vow to resist

THE arrival of a representative of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is welcome relief for residents on sitio San Miguel in barangay Apas, Cebu City, who are racing for time against a court-ordered May 7 demolition.

Members of the Archangel Residents Mergence Inc. (Armi) vowed to resist the demolition.

According to Cebu City Rep. Tomas Osmeña, lawyer Charina Soria of the OSG will attend the hearing today in the Regional Trial Court Branch 9.

“We see now a little opening. And we have an ally from the OSG and so we would be fighting so that they would be able to own the lot in Apas,” Osmeña said.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama questioned the intervention of Osmeña, who represents the south district, in the Apas lot dispute.

“What do they want City Hall to do, withdraw? This will just confuse the judge,” said Rama.

Osmeña said the national government asserts in a document that several documentary evidence were recently unearthed that proves the state’s ownership of the property and raises questions about the legality of the ownership claim of Mariano Godinez.

“The Solicitor General also suspects something because as mentioned in the statement, that it seems there was no signed authority of these people to file a case,” said Osmeña.

Congressman Osmeña is pushing for ownership of the land by the 168 settlers, while Rama wants at least 30 days postponement of the demolition.

According to Choy de la Sala, 58, the help from the OSG is a “good move.”

“Mao na last call nga nakatabang namo (This is our last call, the one that will help us),” he said.

He later warned: “Basta naay matangtang sa amo balay gubot gyud. Naa gyud mahitabo (If anyone of us gets dislocated, there will be violence. Something will happen).”

Settlers in the lot near Camp Lapu-Lapu include many families of retired and active police and military personnel./Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao and Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac