Tension gripped Pandacan, Manila Monday after some 50 residents barricaded a barangay hall to prevent members of the Manila City Engineering Department from tearing down the establishment.

A human chain composed of at least 50 residents of Barangay 839, Biata, Pandacan in Manila greeted the demolition team of the Manila City Engineering Department to protest the move of the city government to tear down the structure at around 10a.m. Monday.

Other residents reportedly holed themselves inside the barangay hall to prevent the destruction of the edifice, according to outgoing Manila Fifth District Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante.

Based on the demolition order issued by the City Engineering Department, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered the demolition of the barangay hall of Barangay 839 for posing as an obstruction to the Pasig River.

But Abante contested the claim of the city hall that the structure was an impediment to the river, saying Lim himself, through the city engineer, had notified them that a building can be put up in the area.

“I don't see the barangay hall as an obstruction even if it was put up three meters away from the river.

In fact, it was the city engineer who notified that a barangay hall can be built in that place,” he said.

The outgoing representative, who ran under the ticket of former Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and lost during the election, claimed that Lim was “merely” punishing barangay leaders who opted to support another mayoralty candidate in the recent election.

Last week, the Manila city government announced that they were going to demolish more barangay halls in the city amid uproar from different barangay leaders who reportedly supported Lim's rivals during the recent election.

City engineer Melvin Balagot of the Manila City Hall admitted that they plan to bring down several barangay halls in Manila which they think were causing obstruction in Manila.

He, however, quickly denied the claims of several affected barangay officials that the demolition was part of the city government's alleged punishment to village leaders who had withdrawn their support to Lim during the May 10 polls.

Meanwhile, the tension in Pandacan was only pacified after the government forces decided to postpone the demolition.

Abante, however, wanted to make sure that the city government will stop the tearing down of barangay halls.

He said they are planning to seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the court to stop all demolitions being conducted by the City Engineering Department as well as filing a petition to Lim to spare barangays from political prosecution.