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On June 6, 2011 the Pasig City Local Government carried out
a demolition in Morales Pader, Bgy. Sta. Lucia, Pasig City without
a COC (Certificate of Compliance).
The people of Morales Pader, 174 families, with the support
of urban poor groups and non-government organizations staged
a non-violent protest in the form of a human barricade.
The people prayed for divine guidance. Not a violent word
was spoken. Not a stone was thrown at the violent local police.
Despite the people's peaceful assertion of their rights,
16 were arrested and handcuffed. Asked what violation
the people committed, the people were told: "simple disobedience".
There were 350 local police men armed with shields
and truncheons and a fire truck to break the
human chain so that the demolition team could start
destroying the homes. With 350 armed local police
and a fire truck and without a government official listening
to the people's assertions for a dialogue, the human chain was broken.
The homes were destroyed at lightning speed!
At midnight of June 6,2011, the place which used to be
a vibrant community was a lonely evacuation center
with electric lines cut. Only flickering candles under
makeshift roofs under a full moon could be seen as
the 16 urban poor who were arrested in the morning
of that day returned to Morales Pader.
The next day, June 7, the Pasig City local policemen
(in brown police uniforms) returned to the evacuation
site to warn the evicted families that if they didn't leave
the place they would be forcibly sent out of the area.
The harassment was meant to weaken the resolve
of the evicted families to assert their rights and instead
decide to avail themselves of the financial assistance
or the relocation in Montalban. Day by day, different forms
of harassment were carried out all meant to make the families
decide to leave the place. On Monday, June 20, 2011,
the water service in the area was cut. The temporary toilet (portalet)
was taken away.
On Tuesday afternoon, DILG Secretary Robredo went
to Pasig City to meet with the Mayor. Some good things happened
at the meeting. The next day, no harassment in the area
was reported by the evicted families.
The organizing work in Morales Pader continues.
Please click the links below:
http://youtu.be/AYIGf6ZGSRw
http://youtu.be/hlUXhexi_1o
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