Don’t resist demolition

City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that the illegal settlers inside the proposed development area of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao Sports Complex must move and must not resist demolition.

“I cannot do anything about it, I told them it is an educational facility. It is intended to be an educational facility for the Filipinos, sinabi ko na sa kanila non-negotiable yan, for all Filipinos. I already told them to get out. It is public interest versus the few who want to stay there,” Duterte said in a media interview yesterday at SMX Convention Center after his speaking engagement on the Philippine Nurses’s Association National Convention.

He added that the settlers should have prepared for the demolition as the issue has been dragging on for almost 25 years.

“They have to clear. The police must clear the area. Government property yan, ang UP tatayo ng eskwelahan para sa

mga Filipino, bakit sila magobstruct,” Duterte said

He added that he can give these residents relocation sites.

“I can give them relocation sites, but they need to get out of the area because it is being used by the government of the Philippines,” Duterte said.

Last Monday, informal settlers, belonging to Bago Oshiro Farmers Association, refused on Monday to recognize a demolition order issued by the court and instead set up a human barricade to stop a team, composed of court sheriffs, accompanied by police personnel, who arrived at UP Mindanao campus to serve the same order.

Police said the settlers threw gasoline on a bulldozer and a backhoe, owned by CLTG Builders, contractor of the ongoing road construction in the area, and set these heavy equipment on fire, injuring operators of the equipment.

Tugbok police arrested 12 identified suspects, including two women, involved in the incident.

This happened while a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had already been signed by the city government and the state- owned university last August 6, for the development of the 20-hectare sports complex.

The proposed sports complex will have a 35,000-seater stadium; multi-purpose training gym; dormitory and medical building; low-rise commercial block; commercial block and recreation; parking building; power house and pump house; practice fields for football; tennis court; sports arena; archery and practical shooting range; indoor basketball; adventure sports; waste management and water treatment facility; aquatics center; country club, and parking area.

Davao City Councilor Bernard Al-ag, in a text message sent to Sun.Star Davao Monday afternoon, said that no written agreement has yet to be carried out by all parties including the city government, informal settlers, and UP management.

“The agreement should indicate a clear provision for the relocation and compensation of the original settlers as indicated in the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the board of liquidators and UP management in 1999,” Al-ag said.

Al-ag said that the technical working group (TWG) has yet to present to the Davao City Council the written statement to resolve the issue on UP settlers.

Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, spokesperson for the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said that informal settlers were against the construction of the sports complex.

Driz said that personnel from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) have been designated in the area to assess the situation to avoid further commotion and conflict.KVC