Demolition in San Juan goes without a hitch

Residents of a disputed property near Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City panicked after around 100 members of a demolition team backed up by policemen arrived in the area yesterday.

The two sides, however, came to an agreement after an hour-long negotiation and the demolition team was eventually allowed to get on with the job.

The local government has ordered the clearing of houses on the 1.6-hectare lot in Barangay (village) Corazon de Jesus to give way to the construction of a new city hall and government center.

At around 9 a.m. yesterday, Senior Inspector Melchor Rosales, San Juan City police operations chief, told residents in the area that the demolition team would tear down only the houses of the 90 families who had agreed to move to a resettlement site in Rodriguez, Rizal, last month.

The residents, however, refused to believe him and said that only 10 members of the demolition team would be allowed to enter the area to conduct the clearing operations.

“What if you demolish our houses as well?” a resident was heard asking Rosales.

After repeated assurances from the police official, the residents finally gave in. The demolition team and policemen were allowed to enter the area on the condition that the houses of some 1,000 families who had opted to remain in the disputed property would be left alone.

Around 1,900 families—excluding the 90 who had agreed to be relocated—will be affected by the government’s plan to reclaim the property.

In January, 50 people were injured when residents clashed with a demolition team sent to the area.