Wazzup Pilipinas!?
TONDO, MANILA — The ink on a congressional commitment was barely dry when the sound of splintering wood and shattering dreams returned to Smokey Mountain. In a move that the Manila Anti-Incinerator Alliance (MAIA) has branded a "vehement" betrayal, R-II Builders, Inc. (R-II) allegedly unleashed armed personnel to forcibly dismantle the homes of the urban poor—violating a direct promise made to the Philippine House of Representatives just days prior.
A Broken Promise on the Record
The conflict reached a boiling point on January 28, 2026, during a high-stakes hearing of the HOR Subcommittee on the Presidential Proclamations. Amidst mounting evidence of illegal displacement, R-II’s legal representative, Attorney Jerome Canlas, stood before lawmakers and pledged to maintain the status quo.
"Para po matahimik tayong lahat... wala na po muna. Status quo... Itutuloy lang namin yung wala kami na ginagawa na pag-demolition," Canlas stated on the record.
Lawmakers, including Chairperson Roy M. Gonzales and Representative Ernesto M. Dionisio Jr., welcomed this assurance, believing the families of Tondo were safe until a Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) could formally convene to ensure humane, legal processes.
The Reality on the Ground: Armed Personnel and Ruined Lives
The "peace" lasted less than a week. By February 3, disturbing footage captured armed units invading the community. Among the casualties of this defiance was 60-year-old Sonia Rebadulla. A solo parent who had left her home for a routine dental checkup, Rebadulla returned to find her sanctuary reduced to rubble—a stark violation of the very "status quo" promised in the halls of power.
"We can no longer sleep," lamented Anora Madrid of the local residents' association. "They circle us at night... R-II Builders are in cahoots with the barangay. They promised to stop until consultations were held, but they are wiping us out before we can even speak".
The Hidden Agenda: Waste-to-Energy and Land Disputes
At the heart of this aggression lies a deeper, more lucrative motive: a proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator. Residents and advocates allege that R-II and its sister companies, PhilEco and MIEC, are clearing the land to make way for this facility—a project they claim has undergone zero public consultation.
The community further argues that R-II has no legal right to the land. Under Presidential Proclamation 39, Smokey Mountain is designated for low-cost housing for the urban poor. Elena Plaza of the organization NANAMOR points out a critical missing link: R-II has failed to produce a Deed of Conveyance to back their ownership claims, which are currently being questioned by the Commission on Audit and former lawmakers.
A Call for Justice
MAIA and its allies are not backing down. They are demanding an immediate end to the "illegal and violent" evictions and are calling for the government to uphold the national ban on incineration as mandated by the Clean Air Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
"There should be no place for forced demolition to make way for dirty, fake solutions like incineration," said Chinito Reel Casicas of RebootPH. "This is an indication of the government's crooked direction regarding climate and nature".
As the smoke clears over the latest ruins in Tondo, the residents of Smokey Mountain are left asking: If a promise made in Congress isn’t enough to protect a home, what is?
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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