Demolition of squatter shanties at Baguio watershed stalled anew

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines   – Twenty days after “barring” the Supreme Court to demolish illegal structures at the Busol watershed, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples issued a preliminary injunction giving more “permanence” to the ‘professional squatters’ stay at Baguio’s largest watershed.

NCIP hearing officer lawyer Brain Masweng, sued last week for contempt before the Supreme Court after halting long needed demolitions at the watershed via a 72-hour temporary restraining order then a 17-day extension that ends Aug. 17, 2009, “stopped” again the city from starting to clear the debilitating watershed.

Baguio’s chief lawyer Melchor Rabanes said the city is filing another contempt rap against Masweng and a certiorari at the Court of Appeals seeking to nullify the injunction.

The first contempt rap against Masweng by Baguio City bantered on the NCIP official’s disregard of the SC decision to demolish huge buildings at the watershed.

Contempt of the SC amounts to a jail term, accordingly.

Although the city government vowed of “sharpened” teeth against “professional squatters” at the watershed, demolition chief Engr. Nazita Banez said, “we cannot proceed (demolition) with those (with injunction).”

Though Banez, who was involved in a verbal spat with a city councilor during the demolition after the latter tried to stop them said, “we will remove those without injunctions next month.”

At least five of the more than 20 cases of demolition finally decided by the SC were given injunction by the NCIP.

“We are preparing for strategies,” Banez said after the city carefully studied its “moves” in implementing the SC order.

City government officials on Wednesday and Thursday will visit Busol via a  “walk-through” to identify those who are at the center of the watershed.