AN urban-poor group on Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the demolition and road-clearing operations being conducted by government agencies in preparation for the construction of Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project (NSLP).

In a 28-page petition, the Urban Poor Associates (UPA) claimed that some 50,000 squatters would be displaced arbitrarily if the respondents—Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Philippine National Railways (PNR) and National Housing Authority (NHA)—were not enjoined from proceeding with the demolitions of their houses.

The petitioners, who are mostly living along the railroad tracks in Santa Cruz, Tondo, and Sampaloc in Manila, noted that the demolition of their houses is part of the plan of action of the PNR, MMDA, DPWH for 2008 in connection with the infrastructure-development project along the whole stretch of railroad tracks and Road 10, Navotas City.

The demolition operations, they added, are merely continuation of the massive evictions being carried out since 2006 in other areas affected by the NSLP.

The petitioners stressed that the demolition is being implemented despite noncompliance of the requirements set out by Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA), such as adequate relocation and prior consultations on the matter of resettlement.

“These looming threats of evictions and demolition despite noncompliance with what are required by no less the Constitution and Republic Act 7279, e.g., prior notice, adequate relocation and consultation which are continuously being undertaken by respondent government agencies inflict gross injustice on the urban-poor community. The effect and impact of massive displacements of affected families, including women and children, cannot be denied,” the petitioners said.

They also stressed that under Article XIII, Section 10 of the Constitution, government agencies cannot evict and demolish the houses of poor dwellers, “except in accordance with law and in a just and humane manner.”

“Worse, the respondent government agencies are taking legal shortcuts in open defiance of these constitutional and statutory safeguards. Without relocation sites, without valid notices and consultations with affected families, petitioners, now and then, are again fearing for their safety,” the petitioners said.

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AN urban-poor group on Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the demolition and road-clearing operations being conducted by government agencies in preparation for the construction of Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project (NSLP).