Violence mars demolition at Subic shipyard project
By Allan Macatuno - Inquirer
SUBIC, Zambales -- Violence broke out on Saturday when residents of Sitio Agusuhin here resisted the demolition of their homes at the construction site for the country's largest shipbuilding facility.
At least two persons were hurt, including a five-year-old girl, after they refused to leave their home while it was being demolished, said Resy Asero, a resident of the area.
The demolition of some public structures in the area also sparked a commotion between the residents and the demolition team.
The conflict erupted two days before the scheduled visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the groundbreaking ceremony of the shipbuilding project.
"They imposed a forced demolition of our houses despite our strong opposition. What will happen to us now?" Asero told the Inquirer.
Some 200 residents formed a human barricade to prevent the entry of the demolition team. They refused to leave their houses until they were transferred to the relocation site.
The affected residents protested the failure of officials of Hanjin, a Korean shipping company, to provide proper compensation for their houses and the lack of a relocation area.
They also denounced the presence of soldiers in their village, saying this only added to the tension that had gripped the site since the start of construction in February.
Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun said they have started transferring residents to the relocation site in Sitio Mahumiling in Barangay Cawag here.
"At least 70 families have been relocated to the new site and we have started to build school buildings in time for the next school year," he said.
He said the local government of Subic was responsible for the relocation of more than 300 affected families that would be displaced by the project.
Hanjin has signed a one-billion dollar (51 billion-peso) agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for the lease of the property for its shipyard here.
"The relocation site is now ready to accept these residents. We are just waiting for them to voluntarily leave their houses," Khonghun said.
SUBIC, Zambales -- Violence broke out on Saturday when residents of Sitio Agusuhin here resisted the demolition of their homes at the construction site for the country's largest shipbuilding facility.
At least two persons were hurt, including a five-year-old girl, after they refused to leave their home while it was being demolished, said Resy Asero, a resident of the area.
The demolition of some public structures in the area also sparked a commotion between the residents and the demolition team.
The conflict erupted two days before the scheduled visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the groundbreaking ceremony of the shipbuilding project.
"They imposed a forced demolition of our houses despite our strong opposition. What will happen to us now?" Asero told the Inquirer.
Some 200 residents formed a human barricade to prevent the entry of the demolition team. They refused to leave their houses until they were transferred to the relocation site.
The affected residents protested the failure of officials of Hanjin, a Korean shipping company, to provide proper compensation for their houses and the lack of a relocation area.
They also denounced the presence of soldiers in their village, saying this only added to the tension that had gripped the site since the start of construction in February.
Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun said they have started transferring residents to the relocation site in Sitio Mahumiling in Barangay Cawag here.
"At least 70 families have been relocated to the new site and we have started to build school buildings in time for the next school year," he said.
He said the local government of Subic was responsible for the relocation of more than 300 affected families that would be displaced by the project.
Hanjin has signed a one-billion dollar (51 billion-peso) agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for the lease of the property for its shipyard here.
"The relocation site is now ready to accept these residents. We are just waiting for them to voluntarily leave their houses," Khonghun said.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
10:51 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home