Baguio "squatters" in Irisan dismantle own abode 05-10-16

	NORDIS WEEKLY October 16, 2005
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Baguio "squatters" in Irisan dismantle own abode
BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 13) — Despite the bad weather, around 76 households of Purok 12, Lime Kiln, Irisan had to demolish their own houses on October 12 to exhibit their protest. This developed after Mayor Braulio Yaranon issued demolition order number 46 series of 2005 instructing the summary demolition of on-going construction at Lot 3 of the Irisan Lime Kiln. Irisan Lime Kiln Retirees and Descendants Association President Silverio Gelawa in an interview told Nordis that the affected residents chose to demolish their own houses to save the construction materials from being destroyed by the city demolition team, not because they wanted their houses demolished. Gelawa said when they began cleaning the area, nobody claimed ownership of the land. Now that they have built their houses, claimants mushroomed. He added that the barangay council even granted them permission to build houses within the disputed land. “It is unfair that some 20 houses spared from demolition. Is it because these are big and concrete structures?” he asked in Ilokano. He further said that claimants over the said land area are overlapping. He mentioned that some of these claimants are employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the city government. However, he refused to give names. Gelawa stressed they have filed for a town site sales application (TSA) over the estate. Yaranon said in a separate interview, there was an earlier dialogue with the occupants, where both parties agreed to maintain a status quo. However, he said there are now new structures built on the area even after the dialogue. The new structures are the ones subjected for demolition, Yaranon disclosed. Further, he explained that the lot is not yet released; therefore, nobody has the right to own any portion of it. IPADEGG (Irisan People’s Assembly for the Defense of the Environment and Good Governance) in an earlier presentation at a council committee hearing revealed that the Supreme Court earlier ruled the Irisan Lime Kiln and other areas in Irisan as public land. As such, it is not alienable and disposable, and that any private claim to such lands is invalid. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS
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	NORDIS WEEKLY October 16, 2005
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Baguio "squatters" in Irisan dismantle own abode
BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 13) — Despite the bad weather, around 76 households of Purok 12, Lime Kiln, Irisan had to demolish their own houses on October 12 to exhibit their protest. This developed after Mayor Braulio Yaranon issued demolition order number 46 series of 2005 instructing the summary demolition of on-going construction at Lot 3 of the Irisan Lime Kiln. Irisan Lime Kiln Retirees and Descendants Association President Silverio Gelawa in an interview told Nordis that the affected residents chose to demolish their own houses to save the construction materials from being destroyed by the city demolition team, not because they wanted their houses demolished. Gelawa said when they began cleaning the area, nobody claimed ownership of the land. Now that they have built their houses, claimants mushroomed. He added that the barangay council even granted them permission to build houses within the disputed land. “It is unfair that some 20 houses spared from demolition. Is it because these are big and concrete structures?” he asked in Ilokano. He further said that claimants over the said land area are overlapping. He mentioned that some of these claimants are employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the city government. However, he refused to give names. Gelawa stressed they have filed for a town site sales application (TSA) over the estate. Yaranon said in a separate interview, there was an earlier dialogue with the occupants, where both parties agreed to maintain a status quo. However, he said there are now new structures built on the area even after the dialogue. The new structures are the ones subjected for demolition, Yaranon disclosed. Further, he explained that the lot is not yet released; therefore, nobody has the right to own any portion of it. IPADEGG (Irisan People’s Assembly for the Defense of the Environment and Good Governance) in an earlier presentation at a council committee hearing revealed that the Supreme Court earlier ruled the Irisan Lime Kiln and other areas in Irisan as public land. As such, it is not alienable and disposable, and that any private claim to such lands is invalid. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS
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