6 Luz families to face contempt

CEBU, Philippines - The homeowners associations in the three sitios of Barangay Luz have threatened to file  contempt charges against six families who were earlier demolished but went back to rebuild their houses.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, president of the Nangka Homeowners Association, said there were three families who went back to rebuild their structures in Sitio Mabuhay, three in Sitio Nangka and one in Sitio Lubi.

The two residents in Nangka were already provided with P15,000 cash assistance on the condition that they will voluntarily vacate, but did not proceed with the voluntary demolition.

“Mura’g giilad lang mi. Natagaan na namo sila’g financial assistance pero wala sila mutuman sa sabot (We were deceived by them because they did not honor the agreement despite having received the financial assistance),” Cabrera said.

In sitio Lubi, all nine were already demolished, but three went back to rebuild their structures. Cabrera said it is clearly defiance of the order of the court.

The residents they will sue for contempt are Salvador Borces, Virginia Lim and the Tago family in Sitio Mabuhay and Tomas Corpen, Carlito Corpen and Alberto Buncad in Sitio Nangka. She said the documents are now being prepared for filing in court.

The residents returned to rebuild their houses complaining that the relocation site offered by the Cebu City government was not livable and far from their livelihood.

The city offered 32 vacant slots in its relocation sites in Barangay San Jose, Bulacao and Basak-Pardo.

The residents complained that the relocation sites have no source of water, flood-prone because of the absence of a drainage system, no electricity, landslide-prone and inaccessible, among others.

The evicted residents insisted to return to Barrio Luz until the city is able to provide an adequate relocation site. But Cabrera said that the residents are asking too much from the city government.

“Naa naman nagpuyo daan diha sa mga relocation site nga gihatag sa city. Ambot kung tinuod ba ilang complaints or basin rason ra sad na nila,” she said.

Cabrera said she will meet with the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) to verify the complaints of the residents.

The court already ordered the 32 families demolished in Barangay Luz last October 8. –(FREEMAN)