QC eyes stricter measure vs squatting

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City council has approved on second reading a measure that would compel barangay officials and the local task force against squatting to evict, without the need for a court order, persons who are illegally building structures on public and privately owned lots.

“In view of the incessant nefarious activities of professional squatters and squatting syndicates, construction of illegal structures in both public and private lands in the barangay continues to proliferate to the great prejudice, damage, and disadvantage of the registered landowner and legitimate barangay inhabitants,” read the measure proposed by second district Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica.

The councilor said some unscrupulous people who already own lots deliberately construct illegal structures for profit on vacant registered lands within the barangays to lease out or sell without the consent of the legal owners.

Based on the proposed measure, the barangay captain is tasked to immediately notify and advise the owner of the illegal structure being built to stop the construction, dismantle and vacate the premises within three days.

In case the owner of the illegal structure refuses to comply with the advice of the barangay head, summary eviction is to be executed by both the barangay and the anti-squatting task force without need of a court order on the conditions that the construction is on-going and the persons enforcing the summary eviction or demolition wear proper identification.