Antipolo City — Some 100 landowners assailed the proliferation of squatters in this city.

A businessman, who asked not to be identified, said that he is one of the victims of squatters who forcefully occupied his lot of more than 700 square meters in Barangay San Jose, Antipolo.

“I have been paying the real estate tax on the property for many years now, but I have not been able to use my property as a family of squatters has occupied it,” the businessman lamented.

He said that his lot is enclosed with a concrete wall and a hired guard is posted to prevent the entry of trespassers.

“But one day my guard was driven away by a family who claimed that they own the lot although they have no title to the lot and no evidence whatsoever that they own the lot legally,” the businessman said.

The landowners’ complaints came at a time when the Antipolo city government, in coordination with the Urban Settlement and Development Office (USDO), launched a drive against squatting and squatting syndicates that are lording it over in Antipolo.

The businessman is asking the support of Antipolo Mayor Nilo Leyble and USDO in the efforts to eject the squatters in the city.

Mayor Leyble said that he will do his best to push the campaign against squatting.

Recently, the city government and USDO conducted a one-day seminar on how to push the drive harder.

“It is very important to know the subjects of illegal settlers or squatting syndicates as this is the real problem in Antipolo and even in other parts of the country. We have to be united so we can stop the proliferation of squatting,” Mayor Leyble said.