Demolition in capitol site: Tomas scolds court sheriff

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña confronted a sheriff and threatened to “run after him for the rest of his life” for allegedly insisting on demolishing structures in Barangay Capitol Site that were not specified and indicated in a court order.

Bombo Radyo Cebu reporter Eric Amaro posted on his social media account a video of Wednesday afternoon’s confrontation. As of 6 p.m. yesterday, the post garnered 1,400 reactions, 1,100 comments, 1,900 shares, and was viewed over 165,000 times.

In the video, Osmeña could be seen avoiding the handshake gesture of Sheriff El Cid Caballes when they met at the demolition site. Instead, the mayor went to confront him.

Osmeña could be seen pointing his finger to Caballes and grabbing the sheriff’s ID lanyard. The mayor’s security personnel then weaned him from holding Caballes.

“I’m warning you. You give me the technical description of the area you're demolishing before you can touch anything here. You listen to me,” he told Caballes.

“You're only up to the Quijada property. You know that. I'll run after you for the rest of your life. Sukol ka? Isog man kuno ka?” he added.

Caballes, in response, said he was merely implementing a demolition order issued by the court.

But Osmeña told Caballes not to proceed with the demolition until the latter could give a technical description of the affected lot.

“I’m defending government property. I’m defending the rights of these people. You understand?” he said before walking away.

Osmeña said a technical description was needed since residents alleged that the sheriff would also demolish houses on a national government-owned property not reportedly included in the order.

The FREEMAN sought Osmeña’s comment yesterday but there was no response from his end as of this writing.

But in a report published on ABS-CBN News website, Osmeña said he was only trying to protect the residents who asked for help.

“I am defending a government property,” Osmeña told the television network.

Capitol Site Barangay Captain Manuel Guanzon, who was with Osmeña during the confrontation, said the mayor grew annoyed upon Caballes’ alleged insistence to demolish the houses on the government-owned lot.

Guanzon said the order only covered Lot No. 6085-A-1, which is located along Don Gil Garcia Street. But the demolition team started tearing down houses which stood on a public domain, a government-owned lot adjoining the lot subject to the demolition, he said.

The 4,728-square meter government-owned lot, as certified by Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7, should not be included in the demolition, he added.

“Wala man silay papeles nga ikapakita namo nga nanag-iya na sila sa yuta sa gobiyerno ug walay technical description,” said Guanzon.

In February 2016, Caballes implemented a demolition of at least 160 houses also in the area, presenting the order issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Navarro on March 27, 2014 against owners of the houses located along Don Gil Garcia.

Matranillo Vergara, president of the Capitol Site Public Domain Homeowners’ Association, yesterday said only seven houses on the government-owned lot were left standing after the clearing.

“Bahalag wala sa court order, ilang gub-on basta mahawan na lang gyod ang area. Giingnan mi nga pakihaon lang mi inig human sa demolition,” Vergara said.

He said the residents not included in the court order sought assistance from the barangay and the city government.

Vergara, who has lived in the area for 40 years, said other structure owners have reportedly accepted P180,000 each from the heirs of Mauricio Quijada, owner of the 9,642-square meter Lot No. 6085-A-1 subjected to the demolition.

“Human nila pag-demolish sa Quijada property, giapil nilang amoa nga naa man mi sa government-owned nga property,” he said.

Guanzon and Vergara expressed their gratitude to the mayor for standing up for the residents.

Meanwhile, The FREEMAN tried to visit Caballes in his office yesterday but was told that he was absent. Calls and text messages to his mobile number were also left unanswered.

Lawyer Jeoffrey Joaquino, clerk at the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City, however, said Caballes had informed him of his encounter with the mayor.

Joaquino said he advised Caballes to prepare a progress report on the ongoing demolition as a standard operating procedure for demolition orders issued by the court.

“Akong giingnan i-include sa progress report tanan nga nahitabo didto,” he said.

Joaquino declined to make any further comments since he was not present during the confrontation. He said, though, that the sheriff’s job is to implement any writs or orders assigned to him.

RTC Cebu City Executive Judge Gilbert Moises, in a separate interview, said he had no idea what really transpired during the demolition.

He said the sheriff normally reports to the specific court that issued the order.

“Mag-wait lang ko if naay formal communication from the sheriff. If naa bay motions, reports or unsa…kay kami last naman mi nga mo-action,” said Moises. — Mylen P. Manto (FREEMAN)