1 nabbed as squatters evicted inside QC police camp

MANILA, Philippines - Tension gripped residents at a portion of a police camp in Quezon City early Wednesday as the city government evicted "squatters" living at the site. At least one person was hauled off to police headquarters after allegedly trying to beat up a civil disturbance management policeman during the confrontation. "Napabayaan din ito, naibenta nang naibenta ang rights hanggang napunta sa civilian. Noong una, inookupahan ng pulis ito, naibenta ang right o na-occupy ng kamag-anak (This area had been neglected. The lot was originally for the use of police personnel but some of them sold the rights to the lot to civilians, while the others retired but their relatives stayed there)," Quezon City police deputy for operations Senior Superintendent Elmo San Diego said in an interview on dzBB radio. San Diego said they already exhausted all legal means to convince the families to leave the lot, located inside police headquarters at Camp Karingal. He also admitted they "underestimated" the situation and did not expect so many civilian families to have occupied the lot. "May samaan ng loob pero wala tayog magagawa ... Ngayon may proseso kaming sinunod (There were ill feelings during the confrontation but we cannot do anything about it anymore. We have followed a process)," he said. - GMANews.TV