MANILA, Philippines - Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño  and other progressive party-list bloc congressmen are seeking a congressional probe into the demolition of houses in Pangarap Village, Barangays 181-182, Caloocan City.

In filing resolution 1236, Casino and fellow Representatives  Neri Javier Colmenares, Luzviminda Ilagan, Rafael Mariano, Raymond Palatino,  Antonio Tinio, and Emmi de Jesus want the House of Representatives committee on human rights to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into demolition of houses and alleged unwarranted shooting incidents by the Carmel Development Inc. (CDI) owned by Gregorio Ma. Araneta III and its security agency, Securicor Corp.

The resolution stated that on April 28, 2011, an indiscriminate shooting rocked the 156-hectare Pangarap Village community in Barangays 181 and 182, Caloocan City.

The incident is reportedly the latest of a series of harassment and illegal activities conducted by the Araneta-owned CDI and its hired security agency.

The resolution also said the Araneta company had been trying to intimidate and force out the residents of Pangarap Village to lay claim, clear out the area, and turn it into a commercial business enclave.

The same resolution also noted that no demolition can take place, with a pending case in the Supreme Court contesting CDI’s ownership of the 7,008-hectare area.

The area, almost half the size of Caloocan City, includes Pangarap Village that is part of "Tala Estate," historically a leper colony as determined by Commonwealth Act 161.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had filed a case (GR No. 187876) against CDI for illegally claiming the land.

A number of government buildings, schools and churches have long been occupying the area.

Quoting the  DENR, CDI reportedly had failed to prove that it had fully paid for the land, which is supposedly part of the "Friar Lands," "over which the Government holds title and are not public lands but private or patrimonial property of the Government and can be alienated only upon proper compliance with Act No. 1120 or the Friar Lands Act."

It also says that just recently, the Pangarap Village Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (PV-TODA) was notified of a possible cancellation of their franchise, supposedly facilitated by the CDI to further harass and intimidate the locals.

Residents have also complained that the CDI have long been attempting to fence the whole area, in an attempt to pass themselves off as the real occupants of the land.
 
The resolution accused CDI of engaging in unlawful activities amid its pending case against DENR in the Supreme Court.

The lawmakers presented some affected residents to the House media on Wednesday afternoon.