Employees of the popular overlooking cafés in Angono, Rizal, on Thursday urged local authorities to intervene amid ongoing tensions, alleging that they were harassed by a group of men reportedly hired by an unnamed individual claiming ownership of the area.

The call came after a commotion on Monday, 13 October, when a group of men blocked the gate of Hillsdale Summit Subdivision leading to the cafés, claiming that barricades had been set up in the area—preventing customers from entering the establishments.

A worker from Tagpuan Café, who refused to be identified, said they fear for their safety, adding that they want the harassment to stop before anyone gets hurt.

“It’s very alarming because there’s a threat to the lives of the people here. Some of them have weapons. We can’t identify the faces of these people because they are hiding. We have no fight with them,” he told Daily Tribune in an interview.

“We really need the help of the local government and local police. We are also calling on the national media, the provincial government of Rizal, our governor, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to help us investigate the people behind this,” he added.

According to him, this was not the first time they had been forcibly evicted from the area, which has been under dispute since 2021.

“This is the worst that has happened,” he said.

For her part, Jane—the restaurant’s administrative officer—said they possess the necessary papers and pay the correct taxes to the local government.

Asked if they would comply should a local court order them to vacate the property, she said: “We don’t have a problem if they are the legal owners. Like I said, it has never been legal if there’s violence and harassment. As you can see in the [viral] video, we are only fighting for them to open the road because we have customers coming in.”

She also criticized the local police for allegedly failing to act during the commotion.

“They [local police] just watch even if someone gets hurt,” she said. “It’s too much. It’s not normal anymore because there might be a life-threatening situation on the other side.”

If unresolved, dozens of employees who rely on the cafés for their livelihoods risk losing their jobs.

“We also have students from Angono who work with us as part-timers,” she said.

Angono, dubbed the Art Capital of the Philippines, is a popular tourist destination known for its scenic lakeshore views and creative culture.

DAILY TRIBUNE has sought comment from the local government of Angono through its media consultant but has yet to receive a response.