Fishermen and their families, after Tuesday’s demolition of their houses at sitio Magay in barangay Bingay of Borbon, have appealed to the Human Rights Commission to provide them a pathway in going to the sea and their boats, even after a resort is built at the site.
In yesterday’s press conference held at the Central Visayas Fisherfolks Development Inc, the fishermen said they have been enduring cold and rainy nights in their makeshift huts that they put up at the same demolition site.
They said that they have been worried that when the private firm of the Lhuilliers finally finished the construction of a resort at the place, they would have no more access to the sea to continue with their livelihood.
“Kung mapildi man sa kaso, unta dili lang isirado ang agi-anan ug dungguan-an sa mga mananagat,” Gomer Branzuela, chairman of Magay Fishermen Association (MAFA), said.
After the press conference, MAFA said it has been set to proceed to the Commission on Human Rights to appeal the fishermen’s case.
Another issue they raised was the demolition of a house, which was near the seashore but allegedly not included with the lot in question. The fishermen said the demolition team should have touched only the houses inside lot no. 718 that was reportedly bought by the Lhuilliers.
Past records showed that the lot, where the demolition was done, was once owned by Hipolito Bragat. This was later bought by the Branzeula family but, in 1988, one of the Branzuela siblings, Christina Gabler, sold her 720-square-meter share to the Lhuilliers.
Reports had it that the sale had allegedly included the parcel that was supposed to be Gabler’s other siblings’. Still, a deed of sale was signed between Gabler and the Lhuilliers.
Since 2005, the remaining Branzuelas fought to take back the lots they believed was their shares. Two cases of unlawful detainers or ejectment was later filed by the Lhuilliers against Hermena Mante, Gomersindo Branzuela, Reah Blanco, Ramon Branzuela, and Jost Blanco, Jr.
In both cases, the Lhuilliers won, and now that a resort is being planned to be built on the site, the demolition of at least four houses standing there was carried out.
MAFA said the Lhuilliers offered P1.8 million pesos to the “unlawful detainers” in exchange for vacating the place voluntarily but they allegedly refused the offer.
Provincial Board member Agnes Magpale, for her part, said she has yet to receive a report from Mayor Neal M. Vergara of Borbon regarding the demolition; for which she said she had no knowledge about because she was in Oslob at the time.
The Lhuilliers enforced the demolition order pursuant to a court decision in their favor. The Freeman tried to get the side of Mr. Michel Lhuillier on the matter but repeated calls failed to get a response from him. — Trex Eden Ignacio and Jessica Ann Pareja UP Interns/RAE