More than 200 houses built on a more than 48-hectare property in Upper Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City are set to be demolished after the landowner reportedly decided to use the property.

According to the legal counsel of the land claimant, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has issued a decision canceling the Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) after the claimant proved that the property is not an agricultural land.

“Na-exempted ang maong yuta kay naa’y ordinansa ang Cagayan de Oro City gipagawas nga sa panahon pa nga I think before sa panahon ni Dongkoy naa’y ordinansa nga nagdeklara nga ang maong yuta residential, dili agricultural,” the claimant’s counsel, Atty. Cy Francis Casiño, said.

Along with the cancellation of their CLOAs, DAR also ordered the payment of disturbance fees to the holders of the canceled land ownership awards amounting to no less than P100,000 each.

The landowner will also reportedly reimburse the occupants for the expenses they incurred in building their houses.

“Ang walay CLOA ubos-ubos naa ra sa 60 thousand mga informal settlers gyud to sila ang maong bayad na-render na sa DAR kay mao man ang mando sa DAR kung ilang dawaton ilang i-surrender ang CLOA kay cancelled na man to,” Casiño added.

Some residents already dismantled their houses voluntarily and accepted the disturbance fee offered to them.

"Wala man koy papel nga gigunitan siya ra man ako naa pud koy pamilya lisod pud mag-agad ko sa iya naa man sad siya’y pamilya moplastar ko daan kay wala koy ipakita nga papel kung kuhaon gyud sa tag-iya,” a resident affected, Jocepos Balingkit, said.

However, several residents have refused to leave their homes, saying they possess documents they claim prove ownership of the land they occupy.

“Wala silay katungod nga moangkon ani nga yuta tungod wala sila tuguti nga ma-transfer ang titulo ngadto kanila kay illegal transaction ang ilang gibuhat,” another resident affected, Norman Pabualan, said.

However, the land claimant remains open to negotiations to resolve the concerns of the affected residents.