Couple arrested, charged for illegally occupying, padlocking Caloocan compound

MANILA, Philippines — A couple involved in the real estate business and 15 of their security guards were charged and detained for the alleged illegal takeover of a 3,000-square-meter prime land in Caloocan last week.

Elizabeth and Anthony Catolos of the Laverne Real Property and Development Corporation allegedly broke into the gated compound in Dagat-dagatan Street early Thursday and welded the compound’s makeshift metal gate to prevent people from coming in.

“They welded the gate to bar people from coming in and prevent trucks owned by their complainant from leaving the compound,” said Senior Supt. Bartolome Bustamante, chief of Caloocan City Police.

The Catoloses were slapped with serious illegal detention and grave coercion for taking over the land currently occupied by Benjamin Ang Sy of the Happy Chef Incorporated. The two parties have been fighting over the land since 2011.  The charges were later downgraded to slight illegal detention and a P39,000-bail was recommended for each of the Catoloses.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to interview the couple inside their detention room in the Caloocan City police station on Sunday but was turned down twice. Elizabeth also refused to give her lawyer’s name and number.

“No, we don’t want to be interviewed,” she said.

This was not the first the time the Catoloses figured in an alleged illegal takeover of a property. In October, they used the same modus in the alleged illegal takeover of a commercial building in Quezon City. They were charged with slight physical injuries and maltreatment, and illegal possession of firearms for occupying the building owned by Gerardo Kaimo and detaining its occupants for more than 24 hours.

They were not jailed for the alleged offenses, however, because Quezon City police opted not to arrest them, and instead filed charges against them through direct filing.

In Caloocan, however, they were subjected to inquest proceedings for the commotion in Barangay 8.

“Aside from taking over the land, Elizabeth also badmouthed the cops and barangay officials. She even told our head investigator, Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza: ‘Pulis ka lang, kaya kita ipatanggal. Wala akong tiwala sa pulis, barangay, at justice system (You’re just a cop. I can have you removed. I don’t trust the police, the barangay and the justice system),’” Bustamante said.

The commotion in Caloocan started about 5:30 a.m. on Thursday. Bustamante said the couple led 15 security guards of the Milgos Secuity Agency – seven of them armed with shotguns — in shooing away Sy’s tenants.

Out of fear, some of the occupants left. But 10 people chose to stay to guard their belongings and the trucks parked inside. The report of the confrontation did not reach the police immediately.

Bustamante said Anthony even went to his office about 9 a.m. to ask for police assistance in securing “their property.”

“I told him we couldn’t give him any because we needed a court order first. He also didn’t tell me about the takeover. An hour after we left, I was surprised because Sy went to my office to inform me of what’s happening,” Bustamante said.

The Catoloses controlled the area for more than 24 hours. Sy’s occupants, who remained inside, were never prevented from leaving. But they were told they could never go back.

“They couldn’t even go out to eat,” said Bustamante. “We had to give them food provisions over the fence through the use of the ladder.”

Several cops were deployed to the site, including the SWAT. But Bustamante said they did not break into the compound immediately for two reasons. One, the guards were armed and they wanted to prevent a possible bloodshed. Second, quarrel over lands is a civil case.

“But when they started welding the gates on Thursday night, the police decided it’s time to arrest them. They can’t do that,” he said.

The takeover ended about 6 p.m. on Friday. The couple was arrested and the guards disarmed. They were also slapped with several charges before the city prosecutor office. The filing of the case ended about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Prosecutor Canete downgraded the charges to slight illegal detention and recommended a bail of P39,000 for each of them. SFM