DEAD, 39 HURT
[PHOTO - DEMOLITION TURNS
VIOLENT Stones and broken cement blocks are scattered on the road in Silverio
Compound, Sucat, Parañaque City, on Monday, April 23, 2012, as a
house-demolition operation in a squatters' neighbourhood turned violent with
police using tear gas on residents who hurled rocks and other objects at them.
At least one resident was killed and 40 others were injured. INQUIRER PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA]
MANILA,
APRIL 24, 2012
(INQUIRER) By DJ Yap, Leila B. Salaverria,
Nathaniel R. Melican - Sucat road, Philippines—One of the busiest
thoroughfares in Parañaque City turned into a battle zone Monday as policemen
clashed with residents of Silverio Compound who were fighting a court order for
the demolition of dozens of stalls at a flea market.
For more than an hour, residents hurled huge chunks of rocks, molotov
cocktails and other projectiles at dozens of riot policemen, some of whom
replied with gunfire and tear gas canisters or by hitting the protesters with
batons.
Other residents defaced police trucks and vans and tried to set them on fire.
After the chaotic confrontation, one of the compound dwellers was found dead,
lying on the street with a gunshot wound in the head, while at least 39 other
people, four of them policemen, were injured. Two residents, both minors, were
allegedly treated for gunshot wounds.
The lone casualty was identified as Arnel Leonor, 21, a resident of the
sprawling 9.7-hectare property occupied by about 25,000 poor families.
The incident prompted Interior Secretary Jesse to order an investigation into
the bloody showdown between police officers and rioters.
He also directed Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent
Benito Estipona to conduct an in-depth probe into Leonor's death to determine
the type of gun and bullet which killed him.
Robredo said that Estipona should likewise determine whether the gun used
belonged to riot police units assigned in the area or the rioters. He also
directed the SPD to conduct a probe of police officers who were seen on
television hitting residents for possible human rights violations.
Shiela Bernal, one of the community leaders in the area, said thousands of
residents flocked to the entrance of the compound as early as 6 a.m. yesterday,
expecting government officials to implement a demolition order issued by
Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 195 presiding Judge Aida Estrella
Macapagal earlier this year.
Human barricade
"The residents formed a human barricade in front of the only entrance to the
compound on Sucat Road to prevent the authorities from enforcing the demolition
order," Bernal said in a telephone interview.
As the residents assembled, some set tires and firecrackers alight, forcing
traffic to grind to a halt. A number of trucks filled with policemen from the
SPD arrived to secure the area.
There was no confrontation until about 10 a.m. when community leaders were
negotiating with a court sheriff and government officials led by Rep. Edwin
Olivarez.
"Militant groups numbering about 1,500 suddenly broke ranks and assaulted
police ranks located some 100 meters away. Stones, molotov cocktails, bottles
and pillboxes were thrown at the police. They even attempted to burn police cars
and fire trucks,"
Superintendent Jenny Tecson, SPD spokesperson, said in a statement.
"After minutes of attack, our elements charged back under the cover of tear
gas. By 11:30 a.m., we recovered Sucat Road. Four of our personnel were injured
and 30 persons were arrested," she added.
However, Bernal disputed this, saying that the police had opened fire upon
the protesters and that the residents had retaliated by pelting them with rocks
and other projectiles, including plastic bags filled with human waste or vinegar
and chili peppers.
When gunfire broke out, residents scampered away from the scene in all
directions, but most of them opted to run back to their homes to protect their
houses from being torn down, Bernal said.
The police eventually quelled the violence and started the demolition at
around noon. Dozens of stalls and structures at the flea market at the mouth of
the compound were dismantled.
When vehicles were allowed back on the road at around 1 p.m. yesterday,
police were still conducting cleanup operations, as many pieces of rocks, shards
of broken glass and other waste were still strewn along Sucat Road.
Government-owned property
In a press conference, Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. defended the
demolition, saying that Silverio Compound was a government-owned property.
"The residents should understand that we will not demolish their houses, but
only the flea market in the middle of the street leading into the compound. The
market prevents immediate response in case any emergency occurs inside the
compound," Bernabe said.
He also denied reports that a condominium would be built on the property,
saying they planned to construct medium-rise buildings where the residents would
be relocated.
"We have a housing program there with the National Housing Authority to build
medium rise buildings in that location which is also for them. They need not
worry because they will be relocated to a different area on the lot while the
apartments are being built," Bernabe said.
He claimed that the residents were being influenced by what he called
"professional squatters" who were going around, telling the other dwellers that
they would be displaced by the government project.
Militant groups immediately criticized the police and the Parañaque
government for the violent demolition as they pointed to Henry Sy Jr., chair of
mall operator SM Prime Holdings, Inc., as being behind the move.
"Henry Sy and his cabals in his big corporate mafia are not only responsible
for environmental degradation in Baguio but also for the rights violations which
occurred today (Monday) during the demolition in Parañaque and the utter greed
that comes with their forced eviction of residents who have legitimate claim to
their homes," rights group Karapatan said.
However, SM Prime denied this.
"SM group denies it owns or is acquiring the Silverio Compound, situated on
Sucat Road in Parañaque, and is in no way involved in the demolition of informal
settlers in the area," it said in a statement.
Bernal and the Silverio residents have claimed that the lot was effectively
given to them in 2003 by virtue of an ordinance.
The expropriation proceedings took a turn for the worse last year after the
city government filed a petition for the demolition of the houses in the area,
citing the need for medium-rise buildings where the residents would be
relocated.
The court granted the petition earlier this month, despite a protracted legal
battle because of opposition from the residents who were given until April 23 to
move out.
As for the residents, Bernal said they would continue to fight against the
city administration's plans, especially as the demolition order was flawed. They
should have been given 30 days notice, not 10 days as written in the order they
received only earlier this month, she added.
"We will question this in court. We cannot just sit here and watch as our
houses are being demolished. We must fight," Bernal said.
Cops part of disorder
Meanwhile, a human rights official said that rather than restore peace and
order, the police personnel became part of the disorder.
Human rights chair Loretta Rosales criticized the police officers who figured
in a violent confrontation with Parañaque residents as she lambasted their use
of guns as well as the physical harm that some of them inflicted on the arrested
persons.
Rosales said that even if it were the residents who sparked the melee, the
police should not have aggravated the heated atmosphere and done what they could
to restore the peace.
Police personnel are state agents mandated to protect the people, she added.
Originally posted at 11:59 am | Monday, April 23, 2012
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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