NHA head: Kadamay not ‘empowered’ to illegally occupy gov’t housing units

The National Housing Authority (NHA) on Monday denied that it "empowered" urban group Kadamay to illegally occupy government housing units in Bulacan.

NHA chief of staff Christopher Mahamud said in a press conference that Kadamay members were allowed to continue to stay at the government housing units, which were meant for members of the military and police, out of "humanitarian reason" and for "peaceful resolution" of the issue.

"It was a product of negotiation and also by the order of the President na ibigay sa kanila. But then... yung pagsabi ni Presidente na ibigay sa kanila, it was not cued on a general term na automatic sa inyo, kailangan pa ring dumaan sa proseso," Mahamud added.

Mahamud said the "compromise" with Kadamay members does not give them the authority to just "easily trample upon the law."

"They need to abide the law and go to the process...because otherwise, if we will not respect these procedures, we might be contributing doon sa pagpapalawak ng professional squatter. The process may be slow for some but we just have to make sure that the award will be given to those who are deserving," he added.

In the same briefing, Mahamud said the NHA is now investigating reports that some Kadamay members are renting out government housing units in Bulacan.

Mahamud, meanwhile, said the NHA will no longer allow Kadamay members to occupy other government housing units intended for informal settlers living in danger zones.

NHA spokesperson Elsie Trinidad said a total of 5,278 government units are being occupied by Kadamay members.

Of this number, 3,295 units were originally meant to be given to informal settlers while 1,983 are for police and military personnel.

"We just hope we don't have to evict them because based on the negotiation before, we believe that they understood the fact that they could not occupy that...If you're thriving for the cause of the urban poor and the homeless, hindi ninyo aagawan ng pabahay yung mga taong pinaglalaban ninyo," Mahamud said.

"We will just have to make firm on our stand that we will not negotiate on those housing projects reserved for ISF (informal settler families)," he added.

Kadamay members started occupying supposedly idle government housing units for policemen and soldiers in Bulacan in March 2017.

President Rodrigo Duterte then ordered security forces to just give the housing project to the members of the militant group.

The NHA said they are validating reports that 667 government housing units are being rented out by some Kadamay members.

The agency had also claimed that it has obtained a video evidence showing Kadamay member Jerry Lavado trying to sell a housing unit in Pandi town.

Lavado had denied the allegation. He said he was trying to help pawn the unit because a neighbor needs money for the hospitalization of his child.

Kadamay national chairperson Gloria "Ka Bea" Arellano has dismissed the NHA's allegations as a "smear campaign." She said this is part of the government's crackdown against left-leaning groups. —ALG, GMA News