[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’ Court urged to stop Muelle demolition ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Friday, Agusto 4, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Two residents sought to stop the demolition of their properties on Ortiz Street, Muelle Loney area where the city government planned to relocate the Freedom Grandstand.
Arturo Deala and Gloria Babas asked the Municipal Trial Court in Cities to issue a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction against the city government represented by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Roberto Dumanil, chief of the city government’s Task Force on Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures (Asis).
Deala and Babas accused the city government of forcible entry. They claimed they were not given notice or warning that their properties would be demolished.
Deala owned a residential house turned into an office while Babas was a leasing two residential houses turned into office units.
“The defendant City of Iloilo, without warning, thru Task Force Asis forcibly removed the roofing materials over the said three residential houses turned into offices, thereby committing forcible entry…which should be immediately stopped to protect the proprietary rights of plaintiffs,” part of the complainant read.
According to Deala and Babas, their properties were constructed over 10 years ago when the lot on which these were built was still owned by Panay Railways, Inc. They claimed Panay Railways tolerated their presence.
In 2016, however, the city government acquired the more or less 2,600-square meter property from Panay Railways. It considered those occupying the area as illegal settlers.
Deala and Babas claimed they and other occupants were threatened with forcible eviction if they won’t voluntarily leave the area.
During a meeting on July 13, Dumanil gave the occupants 60 days (from July 13 to Sept. 13) to transfer to the city government’s relocation site in Barangay Lanit, Jaro district.
The task force counted some 38 houses in the area for demolition. Also to be removed are sari-sari stores and eateries, as well as the regional and city offices of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
The move to relocate the Freedom Grandstand is part of the city government’s redevelopment efforts of the area.
The new Freedom Grandstand will be facing the Iloilo River. The target year completion has been moved to 2019. The city government initially wanted to complete it on or before January 2018 in time for the 50th edition of the Dinagyang Festival.
The current Freedom Grandstand is the traditional first judging area of participating Dinagyang tribes. It will be demolished but not until the new one has been completed.
After the current Freedom Grandstand located in front of the Bureau of Customs is demolished, the vacated area would be redeveloped into what it once was – Sunburst Park, an open space for recreation and leisure.
The revival of Sunburst Park will include, among others, a public park with amenities for food, service, outdoor recreation spaces, and an assembly area for interaction and socialization./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
