Officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday declared that it has no involvement in the violent demolition of shanties that injured several individuals in Pasay City on Wednesday, saying that the Pasay city government sought its help but the agency refused as it only demolishes structures that obstruct road right-of-way.

“It is saddening that every demolition is attributed to the MMDA. We have to make it clear that the agency does not conduct operations without justifiable reasons. We only demolish structures that pose danger to the general public and hamper the flow of traffic,” MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno pointed out.

Nacianceno stressed that prior to the demolition, officials of Pasay sought the agency’s help but Chairman Bayani Fernando refused to cooperate with the city government because MMDA only demolishes structures that obstruct road right-of-way.

“The operation was initiated by the city government for supposed construction of a commercial center. There is no truth to the reports that the shanties were demolished to give way to MMDA’s traffic project,” stressed Nacianceno.

The demolition, which was gripped with tension and marred with violence, injured more than eight city residents, mostly Muslims, after allegedly attacking the government demolition team.

Residents attacked the police and demolition team members from Pasay City hall with stones to hinder them from demolishing their homes.

Moreover, Robert Esquivel, Sidewalk Operations Clearing Group head, stressed that the tension during the demolition of shanties must be a lesson to the informal settlers not to fight back with the government demolition teams.