TENSION mounts in Brgy. Camp Downes as residents brace for their eviction from the army reservation. This was the general mood at the meeting called by the homeowners’ association last July 14 to discuss the “harassments” they experienced lately from the 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade.
Topping their list of “harassments” they went through is the closure of the gate leading to Sitio Liberty where there are 143 households. This forced residents in that area to take a long detour going to the main road. Army officers have also tightened rules on ownership of pets and livestock as well as house repairs and improvements.
Residents say the clampdown began with the assumption of Lt. Col. Edgardo P. Batinga as camp commander last May. They are convinced his actions are meant to force them out of their homes which the army has repeatedly made known in past instances.
One instance is a letter to Mayor Eric C. Codilla last Jan. 31 wherein Brigade Commander Col. John S. Bonafos revealed that he has taken steps to implement the policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “to evict illegal settlers and/or occupants in the said military reservation.”
Col. Bonafos considers “any and all entry, occupation and/or development in the military reservations, whether by private individuals or government agencies, entities, homeowners’ associations and subdivisions” as illegal. As such, he requested Mayor Codilla not to grant building and business permits to informal settlers of Camp Downes “considering they are illegally occupying the military reservation.”
Col. Bonafos further requested Mayor Codilla in the letter to help them get rid of the houses at the camp shoreline which he describes as the AFP’s future naval base which they intend to make a boulevard to become an added attraction to the city. Some employees of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Albuera town share the residents’ apprehension.
In her report dated Mar. 5, 2007, Land Management Officer Angelyn de Lara Costelo wrote: “That during our investigation and verification, we found out that the Brigade of Philippine Army wanted to eject and demolish all the settlers/occupants of Brgy. Camp Downes on the grounds that the barangay is part of Military Reservation since they have [a] plan to utilize and develop the place for the active personnel of [the] Philippine Army.” Costelo was referring to the five-hectare Kawal Kalinga off-base housing project for soldiers proposed by camp officials.
Background
Brgy. Camp Downes used to be part of neighboring Bantigue. Old-time residents claim their grandparents have been occupying the disputed areas since the pre-war era. In Dec. 23, 1968, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued PD 502 declaring Camp Jorge Downes as a military reservation with an area of 36 hectares.
Despite the proclamation, military authorities didn’t prevent the residents from staying. In Jan. 9, 1979, Brgy. Camp Downes was created pursuant to PD No. 432 and Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 642. While the camp occupies only 22% of the village’s 161.8-hectare area, 90% of the barangay-folk reside within that reservation.
Barangay officials claim their settlement has never been disturbed for the past 60 years until now. Their fear of eviction was confirmed last June 4 during Lt. Col. Batinga’s presentation to Mayor Codilla of his five-year plan for the full utilization of the camp by the army and navy.
Barangay Captain Samuel Baldezanso accuses Lt. Col. Batinga of sowing intrigues towards this end. The camp commander has been heard to accuse the homeowners’ association of being part of a squatting syndicate that has been collecting money from residents in exchange for their continued stay in the neighborhood.
Kag. Marilou B. Gayon, president of the homeowners’ association confirmed they collected money from members to be used for a parcellary survey to segregate the portion occupied by residents as part for their petition for a Presidential Proclamation to de-list that area from the military camp and reserving it for socialized housing purposes.
The association agreed last year to collect from its members P1,000-1,500 each for the purpose. They were able to collect more than P80,000 even if some members paid only P100-200 which they used for the subdivision survey and to buy boundary stones (mohon).
Gayon said that she spent more than what was collected that she had to use her own money in going to Tacloban and Manila to process the papers. She also confirmed receiving P5,000 from resident Marilou Capuyan and issuing an unofficial receipt for the purpose.
But Lt. Col. Batinga used that unofficial receipt as “proof” of the operation of a squatting syndicate and as basis to close the gate leading to Sitio Liberty. Gayon took offense on the tag professional squatting syndicate given to their association, saying its existence is legitimized by its registration at the city government’s Urban Poor Affairs Office.
Baldezanso explained the purposes of the installation of mohons at houses which Lt. Col. Batinga is also complaining about. First is to plot the area occupied by each household, second is to prevent those households from expanding the area they are occupying, and third is to stop territorial disputes among neighbors.
Baldezanso also complained that Lt. Col. Batinga didn’t hide the fact that he doesn’t recognize the barangay as a political unit. This is shown in his Powerpoint presentation of his five-year plan which places the address of Camp Jorge Downes in neighboring Can-adieng.
Sought for his side of the issue, Lt. Col. Batinga said he is just putting a stop to the intrusion of squatters within the camp by implementing the law. He reiterates that the military reserve must be for the exclusive use of soldiers in need of shelter and not for outsiders.
For his part, Col. Bonafos said they closed the gate to Sitio Liberty for security reasons, but it can be opened during emergency situations. But residents counter that they do not pose as a security risk because most of them are retired military and police personnel and dependents to include law-abiding civilians.
Baldezanso said they know their limitations as illegal settlers, reason why they are working on the Presidential Proclamation granting them the right to own the land where their houses are erected. Their basis for their petition is that the areas they occupy are not being used as a military camp for the past 50 years. The area being used as a camp is situated on top of the hill occupying an area of 210,981 sq.m.
Baldezanso concedes that the military can initiate eviction proceedings against them but insists this should be done through a legal means and not by harassments. Engr. Maximo Torcende who is a resident agrees, saying that only a court order can compel them to leave their homes.
(West Leyte Weekly Express issue of July 9-15, 2012)
Topping their list of “harassments” they went through is the closure of the gate leading to Sitio Liberty where there are 143 households. This forced residents in that area to take a long detour going to the main road. Army officers have also tightened rules on ownership of pets and livestock as well as house repairs and improvements.
Residents say the clampdown began with the assumption of Lt. Col. Edgardo P. Batinga as camp commander last May. They are convinced his actions are meant to force them out of their homes which the army has repeatedly made known in past instances.
One instance is a letter to Mayor Eric C. Codilla last Jan. 31 wherein Brigade Commander Col. John S. Bonafos revealed that he has taken steps to implement the policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “to evict illegal settlers and/or occupants in the said military reservation.”
Col. Bonafos considers “any and all entry, occupation and/or development in the military reservations, whether by private individuals or government agencies, entities, homeowners’ associations and subdivisions” as illegal. As such, he requested Mayor Codilla not to grant building and business permits to informal settlers of Camp Downes “considering they are illegally occupying the military reservation.”
Col. Bonafos further requested Mayor Codilla in the letter to help them get rid of the houses at the camp shoreline which he describes as the AFP’s future naval base which they intend to make a boulevard to become an added attraction to the city. Some employees of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Albuera town share the residents’ apprehension.
In her report dated Mar. 5, 2007, Land Management Officer Angelyn de Lara Costelo wrote: “That during our investigation and verification, we found out that the Brigade of Philippine Army wanted to eject and demolish all the settlers/occupants of Brgy. Camp Downes on the grounds that the barangay is part of Military Reservation since they have [a] plan to utilize and develop the place for the active personnel of [the] Philippine Army.” Costelo was referring to the five-hectare Kawal Kalinga off-base housing project for soldiers proposed by camp officials.
Background
Brgy. Camp Downes used to be part of neighboring Bantigue. Old-time residents claim their grandparents have been occupying the disputed areas since the pre-war era. In Dec. 23, 1968, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued PD 502 declaring Camp Jorge Downes as a military reservation with an area of 36 hectares.
Despite the proclamation, military authorities didn’t prevent the residents from staying. In Jan. 9, 1979, Brgy. Camp Downes was created pursuant to PD No. 432 and Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 642. While the camp occupies only 22% of the village’s 161.8-hectare area, 90% of the barangay-folk reside within that reservation.
Barangay officials claim their settlement has never been disturbed for the past 60 years until now. Their fear of eviction was confirmed last June 4 during Lt. Col. Batinga’s presentation to Mayor Codilla of his five-year plan for the full utilization of the camp by the army and navy.
Barangay Captain Samuel Baldezanso accuses Lt. Col. Batinga of sowing intrigues towards this end. The camp commander has been heard to accuse the homeowners’ association of being part of a squatting syndicate that has been collecting money from residents in exchange for their continued stay in the neighborhood.
Kag. Marilou B. Gayon, president of the homeowners’ association confirmed they collected money from members to be used for a parcellary survey to segregate the portion occupied by residents as part for their petition for a Presidential Proclamation to de-list that area from the military camp and reserving it for socialized housing purposes.
The association agreed last year to collect from its members P1,000-1,500 each for the purpose. They were able to collect more than P80,000 even if some members paid only P100-200 which they used for the subdivision survey and to buy boundary stones (mohon).
Gayon said that she spent more than what was collected that she had to use her own money in going to Tacloban and Manila to process the papers. She also confirmed receiving P5,000 from resident Marilou Capuyan and issuing an unofficial receipt for the purpose.
But Lt. Col. Batinga used that unofficial receipt as “proof” of the operation of a squatting syndicate and as basis to close the gate leading to Sitio Liberty. Gayon took offense on the tag professional squatting syndicate given to their association, saying its existence is legitimized by its registration at the city government’s Urban Poor Affairs Office.
Baldezanso explained the purposes of the installation of mohons at houses which Lt. Col. Batinga is also complaining about. First is to plot the area occupied by each household, second is to prevent those households from expanding the area they are occupying, and third is to stop territorial disputes among neighbors.
Baldezanso also complained that Lt. Col. Batinga didn’t hide the fact that he doesn’t recognize the barangay as a political unit. This is shown in his Powerpoint presentation of his five-year plan which places the address of Camp Jorge Downes in neighboring Can-adieng.
Sought for his side of the issue, Lt. Col. Batinga said he is just putting a stop to the intrusion of squatters within the camp by implementing the law. He reiterates that the military reserve must be for the exclusive use of soldiers in need of shelter and not for outsiders.
For his part, Col. Bonafos said they closed the gate to Sitio Liberty for security reasons, but it can be opened during emergency situations. But residents counter that they do not pose as a security risk because most of them are retired military and police personnel and dependents to include law-abiding civilians.
Baldezanso said they know their limitations as illegal settlers, reason why they are working on the Presidential Proclamation granting them the right to own the land where their houses are erected. Their basis for their petition is that the areas they occupy are not being used as a military camp for the past 50 years. The area being used as a camp is situated on top of the hill occupying an area of 210,981 sq.m.
Baldezanso concedes that the military can initiate eviction proceedings against them but insists this should be done through a legal means and not by harassments. Engr. Maximo Torcende who is a resident agrees, saying that only a court order can compel them to leave their homes.
(West Leyte Weekly Express issue of July 9-15, 2012)
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