The community of Pangarap Village in North Caloocan faced another violent demolition on May 8. Some of its houses were illegally bulldozed and buried in soil.

Carmel Development Inc. (CDI) personnel along with paid goons and guards led by a certain Al Alcantara, dumped soil in front of houses on Kamagong St., Banaba St., and Alibangbang St. inside Pangarap Village. This aimed to block residents’ access to and from their homes.

Guards recently forcibly demolished two houses even while people were inside. In the last week of April, grassland near the homes caught fire twice. Residents suspect it was deliberate to set ablaze houses on Apitong St.

Pangarap Village residents have fought for more than 40 years for their right to housing.

Gregorio Araneta III owns CDI. Araneta (Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s brother-in-law) is grabbing around 156 hectares of land in Pangarap Village. This area covers Barangay 181 and 182 of Caloocan City, where approximately 40,000 reside. CDI has subjected them to various forms of harassment, intimidation, and demolition for decades. The Araneta family’s tactics include cutting off electricity and water supply and maintaining round-the-clock surveillance over residents.

The deployment of the 12th Civil Military Operation Kapatiran Battalion last year within the community itself worsened residents’ fear. The battalion is notorious for human rights violations and red-tagging of residents who fight for their right to housing.

Residents of Pangarap Village call on fellow urban poor and other sectors to unite and support their struggle, and to condemn the violence and terrorism carried out by CDI,the AFP, and NTF-Elcac.