By Felipe V. Celino
For landowner Capiz Sugar Central Inc., the residents of 11 households in President Roxas suffered the consequence of the court-order demolition when they rejected a fair settlement.
“It is unfortunate they rejected our efforts last May 2023 for an amicable and peaceful resolution on this matter, said Atty. Wigberto R. Tañada Jr., the legal counsel of Capiz Sugar Central that owns the land in Barangay Hanglid.
Capiz Sugar Central led by its president Terence Uygongco had extended all the compassion it can when it offered the land to the 11 households for less than half of its market value.
The February 2025 demolition stemmed from a 2013 court ruling that Capiz Sugar Central was the rightful owner of the property and ordered the occupants to vacate the premises.
But the occupants—led by the now-deceased Crisanto Lauderes and later represented by his wife Gloria—asserted they had acquired ownership through prescription when they have lived in the area for over 40 years.
But the court ruled that since the property was already titled under Capiz Sugar Central, continuous occupation alone could not grant them legal ownership.
The occupants elevated their case to the Court of Appeals, which dismissed their appeal in March 2019.
By October 2022, Capiz Sugar Central secured a writ of execution from the court for the occupants to vacate or their homes would be demolished. But this did not push through when Mayor Receliste “Tanoy” Escolin intervened.
The occupants then initiated an offer to buy the land, which Capiz Sugar Central opened itself to negotiations. But the occupants later backed out.
By October 2024, the court was scheduled to order the demolition. This was cancelled when Esolin intervened and tried to arrange another negotiation. This also failed.
Capiz Sugar Central remained firm that it had exhausted all possible options to resolve the dispute peacefully.
