PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The city government is set to evict some 33 families dwelling in an area declared as an environmental estate.
City government information officer Richard Ligad said Thursday the demolition of the houses in Barangay Sta. Lucia here would be carried out next week by the City Anti-Squatting Task Force and the City Engineering Office Demolition Team.
“Ever since they occupied the area, they already knew it is government property and they can be evicted anytime,” said Ligad.
He said the eviction was supposed to be implemented last Feb. 12, but the city government deferred it due to appeals by barangay officials.
“For the longest time, they’ve been using it. Maybe it is time for the government to reclaim the property,” he said, adding that Mayor Lucilo Bayron had given them a one-month extension that ends on March 12.
The environmental estate in the Sta. Lucia Sub-colony, which measures 1,072 hectares, was declared to be developed as an eco-tourism site and for commercial purposes under Presidential Decree 718 signed by former president Fidel Ramos.
“It can’t be part of land distribution because the proclamation itself has a very specific purpose,” said lawyer Carlo Gomez, chief of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.
There was another request for extension but Ligad said the demolition order’s implementation could only be put off by a new order.
“So long as there’s no mayor’s order giving another extension, surely it’s a go,” he added. (Keith Anthony Fabro/PNA)
