Evicted Navy men take everything including sink

As the eviction of several retired Philippine Navy officers and their families from their quarters at Fort Bonifacio Naval Station ensued last weekend, some left with words of protest while others carried off everything including, in some cases, the kitchen sink.

One member of the Navy eviction team, who declined to be identified, noted in amazement that many of the quarters had been vandalized by the former occupants, apparently in retaliation for the eviction.

"They literally left with the kitchen sink," the eviction team member said.

"Imagine, doors, plants and even toilet bowls — they took these with them. Even the roof gutter was loaded on the truck. And then trash was dumped inside and outside the quarters, even on the roof," he said.

Aside from that, many retired officers reportedly left without settling their electricity and water bills as well as unpaid rent.

"They totally trashed their quarters," said another Navy officer, who also declined to be identified, as he looked at the empty door jambs and vandalized rooms — even the toilets — in consternation.

The retired officers, all with the Navy Officers Village Association Incorporated, had earlier maintained that they owned all improvements made on their quarters.

One even declared that he was uprooting two grown trees that he had planted.

The association’s board of directors and members also maintained that they were the rightful owners of the property, claiming to hold legal deeds to the land.

"It’s not us who are the squatters here, it’s the Navy," said retired captain Proceso Maligalig, former spokesman for the Reform the Armed Forces Movement.

Maligalig was among 17 retired officers who were able to obtain an court injunction preventing the Navy from evicting them.

Last Saturday, the last day before eviction, several of the retired officers remained defiant, triggering a standoff.

But they were no match for the 1,300-strong joint Navy and Marine eviction teams.

Under orders from navy chief Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga, the eviction crews arrived the following day with cargo boxes and backed by fully armed troops.

Navy spokesman Capt. Geronimo Malabanan said 56 newly vacated quarters have now been given to active officers and the Navy will assist the new occupants with the repairs.

But it’s not over yet.

The Navy’s legal division is studying the possibility of suing the evicted retired officers for the unpaid water and electricity bills.

"They left with big unpaid bills and we want them to settle these financial obligations," Malabanan said.

Navy records showed that the retired officers have racked up a total of over P7 million in unpaid bills.

But the retired officers claim they have no outstanding bills and have receipts to prove it.

They allege that the money may have gone into the pockets of those in charge of collections.