Don't use force against Kadamay – lawmakers

ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio on Wednesday said the “Makabayan block” is urging President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Housing Authority (NHA) to recall the eviction notices served last Monday on “invaders” in several resettlement sites in Pandi, Bulacan.

At the same time, the group asked the government not to use military force to evict members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) who have taken possession of the housing units since March 8. The NHA has given the “invaders” seven days to vacate from the date the notices were posted – March 20 – on the doors of the units.

Militant partylist groups belonging to the “Makabayan block” in Congress announced their support to the Kadamay group and vowed TOJOIN THEM IN fiGHTING THEIR EVICTION from the houses they have occupied in Villa Elise, the Padre Pio project in Barangay Cacarong Bata, the houses previously awarded to Jail and Penology employees and Bureau of Fire Protection in Barangay Cacarong Matanda, Villa Louise housing site in Barangay Siling Matanda and the Pandi Heights 2 and 3 projects in Barangay Mapulang Lupa.

Tinio said they will stand by the Kadamay group until the eviction date they expect to be implemented on March 29.

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago said they will support Kadamay members and join them in their fiGHT TO HAVE A TITLE TO THE HOUSES they have occupied adding that the stand-off has to be investigated.

The Makabayan Block also urged PRESIDENT DUTERTE TO HELP THEM fiND a peaceful solution to the impasse.

On March 8, more than 6,000 Kadamay members swooped down on the six resettlement projects and occupied the housing units despite the absence of water, electricity and sanitary facilities and have stayed on in spite of the eviction notices. A team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed food packs, bottled water and medicines to the Kadamay members holed up at the sites.

The NHA said the “invaders” are illegally occupying the housing units because these were already awarded to police and military personnel and slum dwellers who were removed from “danger zones” or geo-hazard areas in Metro Manila and parts of Bulacan.

Some angry militant occupants have already removed and torn the eviction notice that the NHA teams posted on the doors of the occupied housing units.