TWO INFORMAL SETTLERS FOUND GUILTY OF RA 7279, GETS 6 YEARS IN PRISON
TAGUIG, Metro Manila - The Philippine Army scored victory over a squat
case, after the Taguig City National Capital Region Metropolitan Trial
Court Branch 74 found two informal settlers a.k.a squatter, who are also
members of a squatting syndicate, ‘guilty’ for taking advantage of a
government property located at Sitio Katipunan, Military Shrine Service
Area, Libingan ng mga Bayani in Western Bicutan on May 17, 2010.
Accused Erlinda Belaya and Nimfa David were sentenced to suffer six
years in prison, for occupying and constructing a residential house made
of semi-concrete materials without authority from the Armed Forces of
the Philippines. Several verbal warnings and demands were sent to Ms
Belaya and Ms David to vacate the area to no avail.
The said area is covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 208 Series
1967 that reserved the land for National Shrine - Libingan Ng Mga Bayani
purposes. The land was surveyed by DENR and in its final report, it was
found that Katipunan informal settlers are inside the national shrine -
LNMB.
"The National Shrine is also a virtual direct extension of the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport (NAIA) runway, where an array of aviation
light signal (ALS) are operating to guide international and domestic
incoming aircrafts," said Colonel Marcial O. Constante Jr, Commanding
Officer of Philippine Army Task Group "Bantay" (PATGB), under whose AOR,
the lot ingestion falls.
Belaya withdrew her application for probation and appealed her case for
violating Sections 27 and 44 in relations to Section 45 of Republic Act
No. 7279 otherwise known as "An Act to Provide for a Comprehensive and
Continuing Urban Development and Housing Program, Establish the
Mechanism for Its Implementation and for other Purposes". While David is
now on probation for six years, approved by the National Capital
Judicial Region, Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 74, Taguig City, Metro
Manila, following her application on 31 May 2010 when she was convicted
of Violation of Section 30 in relation to Section 27 par 3 of Republic
Act 7279.
"With the convictions, we hope that emotional issues and controversies
over the LNMB being occupied by these informal settlers will end. The
land reserve for the National Shrine must be respected as a fitting
resting place for national heroes, and fallen soldiers. Let the land
serve its intended purpose as a national shrine, added Col. Constante.
Libingan Ng Mga Bayani is a national cemetery located within Fort
Bonifacio. At present, there are still 42 pending cases at the
Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 74 in Taguig City and many more and in
increasing numbers at the prosecutor office. PATGB looks to this
conviction as a strong signal for other informal settlers to voluntarily
dismantle their structure and put an end to the operation of squatting
syndicates in the National Shrine area. #
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