The Presidential Commission on Urban Poor on Tuesday urged Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde to step into the peace and order problem affecting over 40,000 families in Pangarap Village in north Caloocan City due to a looming demolition.
The agency’s chairperson and chief executive officer, Alvin Feliciano, said he and his other officials on Tuesday met with Albayalde at his office in Camp Crame, Quezon City to seek the assistance of the affected residents belonging to a homeowners’ association of former Malacañang employees and groups of informal settlers in Barangays 181 and 182.
“We are trying to address the peace and order situation within Pangarap Village on the complaints of the residents for alleged harassment and inhumane treatment on them. They should not be treated that way,” he said.
In a statement sent to the media, the PCUP said the concerned residents were complaining of threats and coercion from the personnel of Carmel Development Inc. for some months, dismantling of their fences and visibility of armed men in a bid to forcibly drive them away from the areas.
The late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued Presidential Decree 293 which declared Pangarap Village a resettlement area but the Supreme Court nullified the presidential order in 1988.
Last July 9, the PCUP, along with the PNP, Caloocan City government, barangays, homeowners’ association and group of the informal settlers met in a dialogue to tackle the threat of demolition of homes of the affected families.
“Our next step is to convene an interagency meeting in August. We are trying to get data from the representatives of the Malacañang homeowners and the informal settlers,” Feliciano said.
“We are after their peace and order first, then their security of tenure,” he added.
He said the PCUP wants to arrive at a “concrete direction” after a series of meetings with different government agencies.