House Deputy Speaker and SAGIP Party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta on Monday, March 22 scored an official of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for lack of transparency when he allowed the eviction of settlers in a village in Ozamiz City despite the lack of a writ of demolition order issued by a court.
Marcoleta, during a hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, confronted Arnel Agabe, DILG-10 Regional Director after noting that the latter failed to be transparent when asked whether authorities were able to obtain a writ of demolition from the court prior to conducting demolition activities in the village of Lam-An in August 2020.
The lawmaker had earlier filed House Resolution No. 1197, asking the Lower House to investigate the implementation of a housing project in Purok 6, Lam-an, Ozamiz City and the alleged illegal demolition of houses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You already know there was no writ of demolition issued by the court, but why did you not do anything to prevent it?” Marcoleta told Agabe during the hearing facilitated by Rep. Michael Aglipay, head of the House panel.
“Because if there is no writ of demolition, you cannot demolish (the place),” Marcoleta pointed out.
The House lawmaker also pointed out that the DILG official did not disclose the matter when the complainants approached the DILG for help.
The partylist solon has repeatedly claimed that the Nery family has a valid title to the land where the housing project being developed by the local government of Ozamis City led by Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal is situated.
He also said Janvier Echiverri, DILG Undersecretary for external and legislative affairs, likewise, confirmed that there was no writ of demolition.
“So what was the value of having the complainant see the director when you wouldn’t even show that you can actually help, because they needed help,” he pointed out.
Marcoleta also said the DILG also did not uphold the Memorandum Circular No. 2020-068, that postpones all administrative demolition and eviction activities while there is a COVID-19 pandemic.
“Kahit yun man lang memorandum niyo na inisyu ninyo…ay maipatupad nyo lang. Sapagkat yun ay naglalayon lang na ipostpone muli yung demolition alang-ala ng sa pandemya (I was just hoping that you would uphold that memorandum that you issued..implement it fully. Because that only aims to postpone the demolition since we are in a pandemic),” he said.
MayorOaminal, son of House Deputy Speaker Misamis Occidental 2ndDistrict Rep. Henry Oaminal, however, defended that local government’s initiative to pursue the housing project, saying the project was above-board.
In the first place, Oaminal also said the Nery family blatantly disrespected the sheriff and courts several times and only obeyed the court’s orders and left their premises “when one of the remaining stalwarts of the Kuratong baleleng was found dead inside his detention cell inside the Ozamis City police station.”
“Indeed there is no reason to oppose this project it only aims to protect and promote the interest of the Ozamis residents, and we just abide by all laws and court orders,” Oaminal said. “This project is even in line with the initiatives of House Speaker (Lord Allan) Velacso to address the national housing crisis by promoting onsite development,” the local chief executive stressed.