Demolition of squatter buildings at Baguio City Dairy Farm set

By Jho Arranz

BAGUIO CITY – The city government has issued notices for demolition to land squatters here particularly at the Dairy Farm of the Baguio Animal Industry (BAI), a reservation under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

This is part of the city’s campaign against squatting,  mayor Mauricio Domogan said during city executive-legislative meeting Monday, saying  the city government will pursue thrusts in protecting the remaining watersheds and forest reservations within Baguio.

Domogan said the Baguio Animal Industry (BAI) is a reservation under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

However, more than 62 hectares of the Dairy Farm has been issued a Certificate of Ancestral Land Title (CALT) by the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) in favor of the heirs of Ikang Paus.

The DA filed a case against the squatters occupying said lots and won the case.  But despite of this, the DA is still waiting for the writ of execution to carry out the demolition of the illegal structures.

With reports of massive squatting within the DA, BAI has resurfaced anew prompting the mayor to order an immediate investigation and action together with the officials of Tuba, Benguet.

After a thorough investigation by the task force committee, the City Buildings and Architecture Office was directed to issue a cease and desist order to all on-going constructions within the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Animal Industry.

Meanwhile, the anti-squatting committee has issued notices for demolition to squatters whose structures were already built. 

However, the committee cannot identify and locate the owners of some illegal structures in the said dairy farm.

“The municipality of Tuba, Benguet has expressed support to the city and with the concerted effort, the dairy farm will surely be cleared from illegal squatters,” said Domogan.

“The city will remain to protect forest reservations,” he added.