Barangay Luz 32 to go by Oct. 8

AFTER several deferments and negotiations, the court has set Oct. 8 as the demolition day of 32 houses in barangay Luz, Cebu City.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ramon Daomilas of Branch 11 yesterday gave the go signal for the sheriff to proceed with demolition.

“The die is cast. There is already a ruling from the Supreme Court (SC). The only court who can overrule it is the SC but the period has already lapsed. We can’t do anything about that,” the judge said.

He said the demolition shall be done “gradually,” starting with settlers who are willing to vacate the area.

“I hope the demolition will be peaceful. I ask the media and other agencies to be the watchdog,” the judge said.

As this developed, the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) chief Collin Rosell said City Hall will find a relocation site for displaced residents and provide financial aid.

Mayor Michael Rama expressed dismay with the earlier decision of the City Council to support the demolition instead of finding a way to accommodate the 32 households which did not avail of the government socialized housing program through the Community Mortgage Program in 1996.

The City Council last Wednesday decided not to authorize Mayor Rama to buy the land for the 32 households.

It, however, gave leeway to the mayor to find a relocation site and provide financial assistance to the affected families.

Rama assured help for the evicted families.

But he said the City Council has to account to the people for their decision not to authorize him to buy the lands so they could acquire them through l ong-term mortgage payment with City Hall for their homelots./Ador Vincent Mayol and Tweeny M. Malinao