Near riot in Gusa

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

LOCAL officials yesterday stepped in and prevented law enforcers from clashing with angry villagers in Purok 3 in Barangay Gusa who were facing the prospects of becoming homeless because of a demolition order from a regional court.

But two people were hurt after a still unidentified group started throwing stones at the demolition team. A demolition team and policemen backed down after receiving a verbal order from the same judge who earlier issued a writ of demolition against the residents, according to Gusa barangay chairman Marlo Tabac.

Tabac said regional Judge Gil Bollozos told court sheriff Venus Gibolingo to suspend the demolition apparently because of a pleading filed by city hall.

City social welfare and development chief Teodoro Sabuga-a said city hall, through city legal officer Donald Delegencia, filed a motion on Thursday to defer the demolition of houses and other structures within a “salvage zone” in Gusa.

The one-hectare Gusa property belongs to the heirs of Martin Loyola who won an ejectment case against Tabac and other residents. The demolitions, affecting over 100 families, started early this week. Sabuga-a said city hall asked for more time because the local government was still working on a relocation site for the affected families.

Judge Bollozos has scheduled a hearing on city hall’s petition this July 10. Tabac said two residents identified as Laura Curilan, 49, and Raul Gorial, 40, were hurt and rushed to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center after stones landed on their heads when residents put up a resistance.

Angry residents stood face to face with antiiot policemen as they formed a human barricade that prevented the demolition team from getting near the approximately 2,000-square meter “salvage zone” where some 43 families built their homes.

When residents started pushing the antiiot policemen back, stones started flying, hitting Curilan and Gorial. Tabac, whose house has been marked for demolition, led yesterday’s resistance.

“Let us wait for the court to rule on the motion of city hall. If the court grants the motion, there won’t be anything to save anymore if the houses are demolished today,” Tabac told the court sheriff.

Sheriff Gibolingo, at first, was bent on serving the writ, sparking the tension and prompting residents to form a human chain. From a distance, city police director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera, Councilor Enrico Salcedo, and Sabuga-a stood, observing.