By CHITO A. CHAVEZ
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) maintained it would continue to demolish illegal structures on road right of way and clear sidewalks from obstructions despite protests of human rights violation.
MMDA Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group (SCOG) chief Roberto Esquivel said the group is prepared for whatever the unruly squatter residents has to offer even if it turns into a bloody confrontation.
Last week, illegal dwellers on Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) in Taguig City barricaded the southern portion of the national road with rocks, burning used tires, and vehicles, disrupting the flow of traffic at the break of dawn.
With assistance from the Taguig police, the MMDA demolition team eventually cleared C-5 two hours later as the protesting squatters yielded and showed no resistance.
The affected families claimed the MMDA reneged to its promise to only destroy structures that are within 15 meters from the sidewalk as the demolition reached way beyond the agreed distance.
Esquivel shrugged off the charges and stressed that any structure on road right of way has to go, be it within the 15-meter distance from the sidewalk or beyond.
Irate squatters slammed the police for allegedly spreading lies that they received
R16,000 as "disturbance fees" from affluent squatter groups.
After the MMDA SCOG operation in Taguig, Esquivel’s group demolished 65 residential and over 100 commercial structures on Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) arrested two men for fighting with MMDA personnel.
Esquivel tried in vain to avoid a bloody confrontation by requesting residents to voluntarily dismantle their shanties and leave in a peaceful and an orderly manner.
"At 9 a.m. last Friday, I tried to convince them to demolish their own structures. But instead of heeding my plea, a group of residents stood their ground that made me decide to order my men to move in after more than 10 minutes of fruitless negotiation," Esquivel added.
