Manila residents allegedly evicted from home live in covered court

Two families in Manila City who were allegedly evicted from their homes by their landlady over months of unpaid rent have been living in a covered court in Tondo for almost a week.

According to Jonathan Andal’s Sunday report on “24 Oras Weekend,” Vilma Alfonzo and Rosalyn Dela Cruz were allegedly evicted from their homes in Barangay 120 after failing to pay their rent for April and May.

“Laging sinasabi ‘Kailan kayo aalis?’ ‘Nakahanap na ba kayo ng bahay?’ Sa palagay niyo po ba makakahanap kami ng ganitong panahon? Pandemic?” Alfonzo said.

“Minsan wala po kaming kinakain dito. Umaasa lang po kami sa bigay bigay,” Dela Cruz added.

The families also live with a senior citizen and children.

“Mayor, nananawagan po ako sa inyo. Kung maaari po sana, mayor, matulungan mo po kami dahil hirap na hirap na po kami,” Jun Lizardo, one of the evicted residents, said.

The landlady Vanessa denied evicting them from their homes.

She explained that she only asked them to pay their utility bills but not rent.

“‘Di po ako salbahe kasi since no’ng October libre na sila ng tahanan hanggang no’ng June 15 tapos ngayon ang datingan parang inapi ko sila, kinawawa ko sila,” she said.

“Hindi po gano’n ang nangyari. Sila ang naglagay sa sitwasyon nila diyan. Sila ang nagpilit na do’n sila,” she added.

Vanessa said she offered her rental property back to the two families after learning that they had been living in the covered court but they refused her offer.

Barangay officials intervened in the matter but were unable to reconcile the parties involved.

The Manila City government is yet to comment on the issue.

The families insisted that they will continue to live in the covered court until they have the money to pay rent. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News