Residents Protest Court-Ordered Eviction in Iloilo
Nine houses within the Saul family compound in Barangay San Jose, San Miguel, Iloilo, were demolished on Oct. 2 to make way for residential subdivisions by Communities Iloilo Inc., a property developer affiliated with the Villar-owned Vista Land and Landscapes Inc. The demolition was carried out following a court order from the

By Juliane Judilla
By Juliane Judilla
Nine houses within the Saul family compound in Barangay San Jose, San Miguel, Iloilo, were demolished on Oct. 2 to make way for residential subdivisions by Communities Iloilo Inc., a property developer affiliated with the Villar-owned Vista Land and Landscapes Inc.
The demolition was carried out following a court order from the 14th Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC), which granted “forcible entry” rights to Communities Iloilo Inc.
However, residents argued that the case should fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) due to its nature as an “agrarian dispute.”
The Iloilo Farmers and Irrigators Alliance Association (IFIAA) claimed that the dispute involves agricultural land, which should have been handled by the DAR.
A certification from the DAR could have shifted the resolution of the case to the proper agrarian channels, but the agency did not intervene.
Elmer Forro, from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Panay, who joined progressive groups in a picket rally before the demolition, argued that this case is part of a broader “systematic assault on the agricultural sector.”
Forro said the land is an irrigated area that provides water to nearby farmlands and should not be converted into commercial or residential use.
The final notice of demolition was filed by Sheriff IV Mark Emmanuel Delmo on Sept. 23, 2024, giving residents five days to vacate the premises and remove their belongings.
Article Information
Comments (0)
LEAVE A REPLY
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Related Articles
DENR pushes 2027 deadline for new Iloilo bulk water supply
A top official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Iloilo must have a new bulk water supply operational by 2027, warning that the city’s rapid urban growth will further increase water demand in the coming years. Carlos Primo David, DENR undersecretary for integrated environmental science and head of

Treñas-Chu slams MPIW over permit delay claims
Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu criticized Metro Pacific Iloilo Water on Thursday for what she described as the company’s failure to directly raise concerns about alleged delays in the processing of permits for its desalination plant project in Barangay Ingore, La Paz. “I would have appreciated it if MPIW had informed
