Vice President takes on Philippino squatting syndicates

[Gerrard Winstanley]

Noli goes after big-time squatters
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics3_feb2_2008
Manila Standard Today - 1st February 2008


The government has embarked on an intensified campaign against
squatting syndicates nationwide, Vice President Noli de Castro said
yesterday.

The campaign has just been strengthened with he Housing Urban and
Development Coordinating Council creating the National Drive against
Professional Squatter and Squatting Syndicates and formulating that
guidelines to ensure active participation of several state agencies,
De Castro said. As part of its mandate to suppress the illegal
activities of professional squatters and squatting syndicates, the
HUDCC has already made a major headway with the arrest of alleged
squatting syndicate Wilfredo Torres, said De Castro, who is also the
administration's housing czar being the head of several regulatory
agencies on housing and home lending.

The implementing guidelines will strengthen the cooperation and
coordination of NDAPSSS member- agencies since their roles are clearly
defined, thus avoiding the overlapping of functions. It will also
facilitate the prosecution of professional squatters and syndicates
making the process much faster," said De Castro.

Members of the NDAPSSS include the Presidential Commission for the
Urban Poor, Land Registration Authority, the National Police, the
Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of the
Environment and Natural Resources, the National Urban Poor Sectoral
Council of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, the National Bureau
of Investigation, the Office of the Solicitor General, the Public
Attorneys' Office, and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating
Council. The NDAPSSS is also mandated to work closely with its local
government units and the Local Committee Against Squatting Syndicates
and Professional Squatters, De Castro said.

The guidelines designate the HUDCC and the DoJ as the lead agencies to
implement EO 153, strengthen the National Police Task Force against
professional squatters and squatting syndicates, direct concerned
agencies to give full support on the fight against professional
squatters and squatting syndicates, and provide the procedures on
summary eviction, demolition, relocation and containment.



National Committee Against Squatting Syndicates and Professional
Squatters is hereby created composed of the following:

a. Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
b. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC)
c. Department of Justice (DOJ)
d. Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP)
e. Philippine National Police (PNP)
f. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
g. Representative of PCUP accredited National Urban Poor Organization
h. Representative of a Non-Government Organization

DILG shall be the Chairman, HUDCC as Co-Chairman, and the remaining
agencies as Members. 
http://www.lawphil.net/executive/execord/eo1993/eo_129_1993.html