Angeles City, Pampanga — The local government here on Monday has appealed to Clarkhills Properties Corporation to defer demolition plans on 500 houses in Barangays Cuayan and Anunas and relocate them to ensure a peaceful turnover.

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. stressed that the deferment of demolition and relocation of the families living in the said villages are part of the dialogue that the city government and the realty company agreed upon.

He added that his office was left blindsided by the letter of Sheriff III Elizabeth Marasigan of the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board. The city government received the letter dated 13 October 2023.

Lazatin said that they received the letter on the same date, notifying him that the demolition will be implemented on 16 to 19 October 2023, in Barangay Cuayan at 9 a.m. and on 6 to 10 November 2023, at the same time in Barangay Anunas.

The scheduled demolitions run counter with the agreement reached during a dialogue brokered by Lazatin between the tenants and the Clarkhills management.

On 15 September 2023, Lazatin said "it was agreed upon that the scheduled demolition will be put on hold and status quo shall be observed until such a time that Clarkhills presents their development timeline to the city and the relocation and distribution of financial assistance to the affected families to be provided by Clarkhills, has been carried out."

The mayor also offered to purchase the property occupied by the tenants under the city's socialized housing project to be awarded to the existing tenants.

"Considering the terms agreed upon during our dialogue, this office is left blindsided by the aforementioned letter announcing the continuation of the demolition," said Lazatin, as he urged Torralba and Sheriff Marasigan to sit down anew in the negotiating table in a bid to resolve the impasse.

The official said that the tenants should be relocated and given assistance so that they can restart their respective lives as he instructed the Angeles City Human Settlements and Urban Development Office through Atty. Arvin Suller to conduct thorough mapping and tagging of the affected families to ensure that all of them would be properly identified and no one will be left behind as the city government strives to provide the best possible assistance to them.

Lazatin also directed the Philippine National Police to stand down as Angeles City exerts all efforts to broker a win-win solution for the indignant tenants and Clarkhills management.

"I already directed the ACPO to stand down and enforce maximum tolerance in dealing with the issue. I do not want any of my constituents to get hurt in a demolition that may go haywire. I am appealing on Clarkhills and DARAB to sit down anew and thresh things out amicably," Lazatin said.