(Eagle News) — Policemen are now tightly guarding housing units meant for personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Rodriguez, Rizal, round-the-clock after members of the urban poor group KADAMAY on Wednesday, June 13, tried to forcibly enter and take over several housing units in the area.
Even the homeowners’ association in the area vowed not to let their guard down.
Policemen are now on a 24/7 routine, along with the homeowners’ association members, guarding the housing area to protect units that are meant for cops and soldiers.
Whereas before the policemen tried to keep their silence when KADAMAY first occupied their housing units in Pandi, Bulacan, this time the policemen “won’t allow this to happen again.”
PNP Region 4-A director Chief Supt. Edward Carranza stressed that the life of a policeman and a soldier is so difficult and it would be unfair for Kadamay members to grab their housing units.
“We will not allow na itong mga pabahay para sa sundalo – alam nyo mahirap mabuhay ang sundalo’t pulis, aagawin pa ng iba, and good na-reinforce din yung drive naming kasi may nangyari na nga before sa Bulacan,” he said.
-President’s instructions –
Carranza welcomed the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte that he would not allow Kadamay members to occupy another housing unit reserved for the AFP and the PNP, after the incident in Pandi, Bulacan in March 2017.
“Good that the President already gave us instructions na ano na yun, Yung nangyari doon sa Bulacan yun ang una’t huli (What happened in Bulacan will be the first and the last [incident of Kadamay take-over]),” the PNP regional director said.
The members of the housing association also vowed to help the PNP in guarding the housing units.
They said that they will be guarding the housing area 24/7 so that Kadamay members won’t be able to enter again.
-Counter-force in place-
Carranza said that the PNP now has a “counter-force” so that Kadamay won’t be able to do another take-over.
“Baka naman i-employ nila yung principles na ginagamit ni Hitler, yung blitzkrieg.. e ayaw natin yun.. so meron tayong counter-force para hindi na mangyari na bumalik pa sila rito,” he said.
He also appealed to the members of the Kadamay not to grab housing units which are not meant for them, saying that this was an injustice.
“Yun namang mga grupo ng Kadamay, maging parehas din kayo.. Kung hindi nyo bahay. Huwag nyong agawin. Eh gusto nyo justice you’re not doing justice,” the PNP official stressed.
Susan Nonato, regional manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA) said that it was clear to even the Kadamay members that they would only be given housing units if these are not assigned to any AFP or PNP beneficiary.
She stressed that all the AFP and PNP beneficiaries have followed the process, and it was not right for Kadamay members to just seize housing units.
“Nakikipagmeeting sila sa opisina, nakikipag-usap pero kung talaga pong meron pang bakante. Pero nakikita po natin na ito ay para sa AFP PNP. So sila naman dumaan rin sa proceso. Hindi po yung lusub-lusob lang,” she added.
PNP region 4 director Chief Supt. Carranza said that they would organize the residents in the AFP/PNP housing.
“Kahit wala na rito yung grupo ng Kadamay, ang ikinakatakot natin, ina-avoid natin ay yung kanilang blitzkrieg tactics na bigla silang dudumog dito na pagkarami-rami, walang magawa nga ang mga residente rito, but kailangang ngang orgnisahin. Madali naman i-organize ito dahil puro pulis at sundalo,” he said.
(with Gerald Rañez, Eagle News Service)