Squatters and policemen faced off in Manila on Tuesday as settlers along Legaspi Street in Intramuros built barricades against the demolition team sent by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC).
A decision handed by the court said the lot occupied by the informal settlers is owned by L.G. Mathieson Development.
The residents however said they were not aware of the court ruling ordering them to pay P5,000 rent a month. They also refused to leave since the government has not identified a relocation site for them.
Some residents packed their belongings. To keep the peace, the leader of the association of the informal settlers asked Manila RTC Branch 7 Sheriff Manuelito Viloria to give the residents time to pack allow them to demolish heir own houses so that they can retrieve pieces of wood and other materials they may use in building a new home.
The standoff ended when Mayor Joseph Estrada ordered the police to stop the demolition in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s “no relocation, no demolition” policy.