Kadamay housing takeover seen as ‘pressure tactic’ in peace talks

MANILA – An urban poor group’s takeover of housing units in Bulacan last month was meant as a “pressure tactic” so Maoist rebels could gain leverage in the ongoing peace talks with the government, a former human rights official said.

Both sides are negotiating an agreement on social and economic reforms to address the root causes of the 49-year-old armed struggle.

This includes mass housing and the free distribution of confiscated land to farmers, based on the 84-page draft submitted by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

“( After) housing occupation, mamaya land occupation na ang mangyayari dyan. It’s not far- fetched,” Loretta Ann Rosales,ang former Commission on Human Rights chairperson, told ABS-CBN News.

“Kabahagi yan nung pressures that are being givenon the ground yan for nungthe peace process.”

Gloria Arellano, who heads the urban poor group Kadamay, insisted the takeover of more 5,000 low- cost housing units intended for policemen and soldiers was not meant as a parallel strategy for the talks.

“Nataon na nalang yan,” she told ABS- CBN News. “Dumating na lang po talagasa punto na ang maralita ay ang dami nang tahanan.”

Renato Reyes, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, rejected insinuations that the NDFP “manipulated the poor for the peace talks.”

Wala naman silang batayan para sabihin yun,” he said.

Rosales’ para group, sabihin Akbayan, has ideological differences with Bayan, of which she used to be an official. Bayan is affiliated with Kadamay.

Reyes said the housing problem was connected to the peace negotiations only because it was part of the social and economic reform agenda.

He said the poor were “conscious” that calls for a better mass housing program could also be addressed on the peace table.

Kadamay is demanding free housing for the poor unlike the existing socialized program that still requires low-cost and long-term payments.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier announced t hat Kadamay members who seized housing units in Bulacan could stay there, a move that alarmed lawmakers who felt it could set a bad precedent.