STA. BARBARA–Several policemen and members of the demolition team were injured in a clash with tenants of a property owned by Humberto Solis in Barangay Tebag East here.

The tense situation lasted for three days from Tuesday to Thursday last week. About 10 of the tenants were arrested and booked by the police.

Last Thursday, the demolition team and the 40 policemen wielding batons and shields were rained with stones by the tenants each time they attempted to demolish a house.

Sheriff Saturnino Tadeja, however, said the demolition will continue until all 54 houses marked for demolition have been removed.

The clashes last week took place in full view of motorists passing along the Urdaneta-Dagupan road in Barangay Tebag.

On Tuesday, an angry mob formed human barricades and retaliated with anything they could lay their hands on to stop the demolition.

At the end of the first day, only two houses were demolished.

No house was demolished on Wednesday as the occupants of every house resisted violently.

DENIED APPEALS

The tenants have already lost their case in court and there have been several legal notices for eviction but have refused refusing to move out, claiming that they were not given due process.  Their claim is anchored on their families’ and their ancestors’ presence in the area for over a hundred years as tenants.

The tenants also assert that the demolition is being implemented despite a pending appeal before the Court of Appeals.

Sheriff Saturnino Tadeja of the Department of Agrarian Reform Arbitration Board denied the claim of the tenants that they were not given due process, saying they attended all the hearings for the case filed by Solis as complainant, with Emeliano Neri et al as defendants.

Tadeja explained that they are enforcing the Special Order of Writ of Demolition issued by Judge Annabel Oandasan, adding that the demolition will continue until after the tenants can show a temporary restraining order.

Tadeja said those resisting the demolition were registered tenants of Solis against whom he filed a case of ejection for refusing to pay rentals for eight years.

Solis won the case that was decided in September 2006. The tenants subsequently filed motions for recommendation and appeal but all these were denied.

He later filed a writ of possession and subsequently obtained Special Order of Writ Demolition  from DARAB Judge Oandasan  on February 17 this year.

Tadeja’s assistant Alex Bajesta said that there were already two other attempts in the past to enforce the demolition order but both failed because of resistance by the tenants.

VIOLENT SCENE

An injured member of the demolition crew had to be brought to the nearest hospital for treatment.

The policemen were led by Chief Inspector Elpidio Ramirez, chief of Police of Sta. Barbara and his deputy, Chief Inspector Isaias Dominguez.

The tenants presented certificates of land transfer issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform but Tadeja said these were no longer valid since they reneged in their commitment to pay their rentals.

The  area is the Solis’ retention area after their property was subjected under Agrarian Reform.–LM

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