[ Calling for an indefinite moratorium on demolition] Urban poor group condemns violent demolition of homes in San Juan

PRESS RELEASE l 11 JANUARY 2012
Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap

Militant urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) has condemned the violent demolition of homes in Corazon de Jesus in San Juan City.

“Nothing has changed on the Aquino administration’s handling of demolition of urban poor communities: violent, negligent and very inhuman,” Kadamay national-secretary general Gloria Arellano said.

“It is an exact repetition of the violence that erupted in the same community just a year ago, including the use of tear gas to penetrate the barricade of the residence and illegal arrests of community leaders,” she added.

“This government has continued on using brute force to win over the collective defense of the residents.

With casualties on both sides of the residents and the demolition team, and with the coverage of media, Kadamay said, that the government has only acted “haphazardly.”

“They were blinded that the violent demolition in Corazon de Jesus would only bring adverse publicity to Aquino who has been doing almost everything to cover up its failure to address the worsening poverty of its people, including the impeachment case against the chief justice,” Arellano said.

The group has been calling for a nationwide indefinite moratorium on demolition of urban poor communities. Meanwhile, it has also dared Chief Justice Corona to issue a temporary restraining order on Aquino's demolition rampage of urban poor communities.

Reference: Gloria Arellano, national secretary-general (09213927457