78 families to lose homes in Barangay Apas

CEBU, Philippines - At least 78 families in Barangay Apas, Cebu City stand to lose their homes after the court granted a civil case for unlawful detainer against them and ordered for their eviction from a private property.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya denied the affected families’ plea to lift the writ of demolition for lack of merit.

“Let a writ of demolition be issued against the defendants-appellants,” read Macabaya’s order.

The 78 families were given until November 3 to voluntarily dismantle their houses and leave the property.

“Should you fail to demolish, destroy and remove all improvements you have constructed or planted from the period given, we will implement the writ of demolition on November 3, 2015 at 9 o’clock in the morning and until the Writ of Demolition will be fully implemented and satisfied,” ordered the court.

The affected families occupy lots 943, 944, and 945 along San Miguel Road in Barangay Apas which were claimed by Richard Unchuan. It used to be the old Lahug Airport.

Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman appealed to Unchuan to give the affected families enough time to transfer to the relocation site. The government eyed a relocation site in Barangay Pit-os for the 78 families.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor – Field Operations Division for the Visayas is scheduled to convene on Thursday for a pre-demolition conference at 2 p.m. in its office.

PCUP invited to the conference the Philippine National Police-7, Commission on Human Rights-7, Department of Education-7, Department of the Interior and Local Government-7, Department of Public Works and Highways-7, and the National Housing Authority.  (FREEMAN)