Urban poor experts see more demolition-related deaths, violence in coming years under Aquino

PRESS RELEASE I July 24, 2011

QUEZON CITY--There will be more deaths and violence related to implementation of development projects in the remaining years of the Aquino administration.

This according to Urban Poor Resource Center of the Philippines, Inc in a statement released yesterday after two barricade leaders were killed when Araneta-hired security guards open fired at residents defending their homes in Pangarap Village, Caloocan City.

The urban poor center said the priority economic development projects of the Aquino government, most of them in tied-up concession with big foreign investors will wipe out hundreds of urban poor communities especially in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces. The number of urban poor families to be evicted from their communities due to these priority projects will not be less than 360,000, as thousands of them were already transferred to relocation sites in Rizal and Bulacan on Aquino's first year in office.

Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon, a national alliance of urban settlers, established late last year after the sector started to feel the effects of Aquino's implementation of its Public-Private Partnership program. The alliance has documented scores of violent demolition nationwide, with more prominent cases in New Manila and North Triangle in Quezon City, Corazon de Jesus in San Juan CIty and Laperal in Makati City.

After the death of two community leaders yesterday due to a land dispute between the residents and the Araneta clan, Estrelieta Bagasbas, AKD national spokerson said: "The Aquino administration is more inclined to the big compradors and landlords and puppet to foreign capitalists, and not to ordinary poor people that comprise the majority of his constituents."

Bagasbas with other urban poor leaders burnt images of Aquino yesterday as an act of condemnation to the recent killings, and declared an all-out-war against Aquino's Public-Private Partnership.

"We will never let a single demolition in any part of the country to happen without fierce resistance from the urban poor as long as the Aquino government remains to favor big local and foriegn businesses," Bagasbas warned the president.

The UPRCP predicted a 'blight' future ahead of the urban poor sector if the Aquino administration won't make a 180-degree on its economic policies to favor the millions of Filipino urban poor nationwide.

AKD announced that urban poor nationwide who face threats of demolition will join the nationally-coordinated protest action on July 25, expecting the president to hear their calls.

REFERENCE: Luis Clarin, UPRCP Executive Director (09081096969);Estrelieta Bagasbas, AKD National Spokesperson (09126490392)