Ka Leody barred from campaigning inside Antipolo private subdivision
Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody de Guzman said he was barred from campaigning inside a private subdivision in Antipolo City on Saturday.
In a video De Guzman shared on Facebook, security guards from the real estate developer Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation were seen preventing him and the media from entering the subdivision.
The labor leader said he was invited by the organization Samakaba in Sitio Banaba, San Luis in Antipolo City to discuss his platforms.
“Ang mga residente ay mahigit nang 30 years ng nakatira sa nasabing lugar ngunit nitong nakaraang 3 taon ay inaangking ng Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation na pagmamay-ari ng isang Edwin Alzona ang lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay,” De Guzman said.
(The residents have lived in the area for more than 30 years but for the past three years Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation has claimed ownership of the land on which their houses are located.)
De Guzman’s campaign team told GMA News Online that instead of going inside the property, the members of the organization went to the gate and discussed the platforms of the labor leader.
They said that the team is also studying legal matters and consulting with their lawyers regarding the incident.
De Guzman’s campaign team also admitted that they were “not at present in communication with the owner of the real estate developing company.”
Meanwhile, the management of the Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation said they were surprised that the labor leader and his team were trying to campaign inside the premises of their private subdivision.
“We have nothing against Ka Leody and his party’s campaign, his platform, and his supporters," Winning Homes Realty said in a message to GMA News Online.
"But as our development is a private subdivision, we should have at least been asked for consent to enter the premises of the ongoing development and also asked consent from the legal homeowners association of the subdivision, Audrey Heights Homeowners Association, if they can do their campaign within our private community.”
The management was also saddened by the “false and unfounded accusations” from De Guzman’s camp.
“We believe that they are being mislead by a few of the disgruntled informal settlers in the area that have been trying to oppose development in Audrey Heights, especially in continuing the previous developers work to finish roads and facilities that are also for the betterment of the community,” the real estate developer said.
“There are only a handful of these disgruntled persons amongst the 80 families that have agreed and have already been awarded relocation and now living peacefully within the subdivision,” it added.
The real estate developer underscored that they also provide homes to the marginalized sector of the community.
The management said they are also open to hearing and discussing the platforms of the labor leader.
“We are open to hearing Ka Leody’s platform and his aim for our country, but we also hope that he listens to facts before he spreads misinformation for the sake of his campaign and to gain supporters using false and baseless accusations,” the management said. — DVM, GMA News