CAGAYAN de Oro City — About 30 families in Upper Puerto have left a disputed property and dismantled their homes after accepting that they have no ownership claim over the land.
Another group of residents tore down their houses on Wednesday, Sept. 30, bringing to about 30 the number of families who have voluntarily vacated the property.
The move followed a Supreme Court ruling that the more than 48-hectare property is not covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) later determined that the land is residential.
For residents who have lived there for years, leaving meant giving up their homes while trying to make use of the disturbance compensation being offered by the property claimants.
Reynaldo Regasajo, 39, who said he was born and raised in the area, said his family chose to leave while the compensation offer was still available.
"Nasabotan namo nga mo hawa nalang gyud mi samtang naa pay offer ang claimant sa amo," Regasajo said.
He received P85,000 as disturbance compensation.
Regasajo said leaving was painful, but the family had accepted that they had to move.
"Kami subo man mi pero wala na gyud mi mahimo ani," he said.
Some residents still remain
Not all affected residents have left the property.
Some remain, including individuals whose Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) were previously canceled by DAR after the agency determined that the property is residential and has a rightful owner.
DAR and lawyer Cyril Francis Casiño, counsel for the property claimants, advised affected residents with canceled CLOAs to coordinate with their offices regarding possible disturbance compensation.
For families still on the property, the issue now goes beyond ownership. It also involves where they will go next and what assistance may be available as they leave homes they have occupied for years.
