CAGAYAN de Oro City — After 50 years, the Army’s 4th infantry Division in Camp Edilberto Evangelista in barangay Patag recovered at least 42 hectares of land after a writ of demolition issued by a local court is fully implemented within the week, a top police official said Wednesday.
Police Lt. Col. Evan Vinas, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro Police Office (COPCO), reported that on the first day of demolition at least 180 houses and structures were demolished inside the two disputed lots inside the camp which was the subject of the writ of demolition issued by the Misamis Oriental Regional Trial Court Branch 17.
The total area of the disputed lots consists of 42 hectares which was declared by the Supreme Court as part of the military reservation in barangay Patag.
The city Department of Social Services and Development accounted for more than 400 families affected and were given food assistance during the demolition.
Earlier Lt. Col. Francisco Garillo, 4th ID spokesperson, said in a radio interview that preparations were made for peace for orderly demolition of houses and structures built on lot numbers 4354 and 4357.
“The writ of execution set the demolition on 17 June, however, since the date is a holiday the demolition was carried out on Tuesday,” Garillo said.
Garrillo also clarified that the court sheriff, not the army, was the one in charge of recovering the land that was occupied by the residents for the last 50 years.
He also said that the Cagayan de Oro Electric Company and the Cagayan de Oro City Water District have already surveyed the area for the cutting of water and electric supply.
Garillo also said the army assisted residents who will self-demolish and the city government and other agencies has also extended assistance to the affected families who are mostly retired military personnel who were occupying the area for the last 50 years.
“The army has nothing to do with the demolition, it’s the court that settled the controversy over the status of the lots affected,” he said.
The army spokesperson said that the case over the disputed land has gone through legal processes from the local court to the Supreme court which declared that the disputed lots are part of the military reservation in barangay Patag.