Fire guts 20 Boracay homes in violent police demolition
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/06/2008 1:15 PM
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At least 20 houses and stores were gutted by fire in a police demolition on Boracay Island in Aklan province, Thursday morning.
Residents near Boracay's boat station 3 said at least 300 policemen from the Western Visayas Police Regional Mobile Group and Special Weapons and Tactics raided their area.
Daniel Magbanua, one of the home owners, said their houses were burned down by the policemen during the demolition. He added that one resident identified only as Señeres was hurt after one of the policemen fired his gun.
Magbanua said his family owns the area, but when his grandfather passed away a lawyer identified as Romeo Rubicio allegedly illegally transferred the land's ownership under his name.
Magbanua also alleged that the lawyer had sold their land to a certain Joey Peña.
He said the demolition was illegal because there is pending case before the court about the ownership of their land.
Magbanua said they are planning to file charges against the policemen and the lawyer, who allegedly ordered the demolition. -- Nony Basco, ABS-CBN Iloilo
