Displaced Taguig family cries for justice

The Floriano family is appealing to President Arroyo for justice against local government officials who drove them away from their home.

Local government officials of Taguig reportedly had all the structures inside the Florianos’ 8,600-square meter compound demolished last July 29.

"We have gone through the legal process, but we have been beaten by politics. The only person who could save us is President Arroyo. If she sees all the illegalities that have been committed, she could issue an Executive Order for the demolition crew to stop until we get a temporary restraining order," Jose Pempe Floriano, a 55-year-old sculptor, told The STAR.

Floriano’s father, Isauro, was reportedly the first Filipino to make a sculpture of the late senator Benigno Aquino soon after the latter was assassinated in 1983.

The elder Floriano’s work was reportedly highly praised by the senator’s widow, former President Corazon Aquino, who keeps his masterpiece in Paniqui, Tarlac province.

Isauro, according to his children, had been cultivating their nine-hectare property since 1969 and passed it on to his children. He died on May 3, 2000 in the United States of asthma. The property he left to his family was later reduced to 8,600 square meters.

The Florianos are a religious family and devotees of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They even keep an altar within the compound where Floriano, his sister Vicky, and brother-in-law Florante Nava conduct free faith healing sessions.

The altar — actually a small chapel — is one of the few structures that remain standing inside the Florianos’ compound. On Wednesday evening, seven members of the Floriano family huddled inside the chapel to rest while others placed pieces of plywood in the garden or positioned themselves on the sofa to sleep. The youngest member of the family, four-month-old Teodorico Jaum, along with his mother and other people slept inside a truck.

At past 1 p.m. yesterday, the two armed security personnel, detailed to ensure that the Florianos vacate the premises, locked the front gate.

The Local Housing Board (LHB) in Taguig allegedly sent the demolition crew, accompanied by policemen, to tear down the 16 houses situated inside the Florianos’ compound located at 16 Sampaguita Street, Western Bicutan, Taguig.

In 1995, the local government allegedly made claims that they would need part of the Florianos’ property to complete the construction of Rinconada street, which would be connected to Sampaguita Street.

They would also use portions of the property to dredge a creek located at the back of the compound.

The Bureau of Lands, however, reportedly awarded the contested property to the Florianos. The municipal government reportedly filed another suit, this time before the Commission on Land Settlement Problems, where the Florianos lost.

The Florianos also lost when they elevated the case to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, which issued a decision earlier this year.

The Florianos filed an appeal for a temporary restraining order with the regional trial court to stay the hand of Taguig’s local officials, but the judge was on a one-week seminar and unable to act on their petition.

The Florianos believe the local government and the neighborhood association might have taken advantage of their predicament and ordered the demolition.

"But this is illegal because they destroyed our homes only five days after the writ of execution was issued, under the law they should give us 15 days," Jose Floriano said.

Nava, who owned the St. John Baptist Hardware situated inside the compound, said among the local government’s violations is that a court sheriff did not accompany the demolition team.

"During the time that we were packing our things and collecting the pieces of wood and construction materials from the hardware store, they too were carting away our belongings. They can’t do that because they did not have a permit. When we tried to argue, one of the city hall officials even threatened to send us to prison if we did not vacate the premises," he added.

The official reportedly even had Floriano and one of his nephews detained in their barangay hall and later transferred to a police community precinct for a few hours. But since there were no complaints, no charges were filed and they were released.

Floriano’s youngest brother was allegedly beaten up when the demolition team saw him recording the events on his video camera. His sister-in-law Marie Flor, 45, bruised her left cheek when she tried to fight for her possessions. A man had pushed her and her face hit the pavement.

The police officers were also reportedly not in their proper uniform — they did not wear nameplates.

"I wanted to cry everytime I hear them use the mallet. I worked hard as an overseas worker for 28 years, not seeing my family for many months just to save money so I can open up a legitimate business in the country. I invested P500,000 in the hardware and after two years everything is gone," Nava said.

The seven young members of their family have also been affected by the incident.

Floriano’s nephew Joseph Carino, a Grade 6 pupil, went to school at noontime yesterday wearing a wrinkled polo shirt because they could no longer find their ironing board. Neither was he able to study for his first quarter exams.

Carino’s siblings and cousins opted not to go to school anymore.