Cloudy weather delays demolition

Yesterday’s court-ordered demolition of houses in Lawaan II, Talisay City was postponed due to dark clouds  that signaled the onset of rain.

In a phone interview, Sheriff Constancio Alimurong said the demolition will push through today when the weather improves.

“I don’t want my men to get soaked in the rain and I don’t want  residents in Lawaan II to get soaked also,” Alimuring told Cebu Daily News in Cebuano.

The postponement was of little comfort to occupants like 16-year-old Ronez Zapanta.   “Wala pa mi kabalhinan” (We don’t have a place where we can transfer),” Zapanta told CDN..

Zapanta, a third year high school student,  in a brood of five kids, said his family lived in Lawaan II for 20 years.

His father is a mechanic and his mother is a housewife.  He told CDN that they will stay in a relative’s house in a nearby barangay just in case their house gets  torn down.

Two families shared a makeshift tent 10 to 20 meters from the demolition site.

A woman who refused to be named said they are still looking for a house to live in because their house was already demolished last Monday.

Peter Sesbreño, the youngest son of lawyer Raul Sesbreño, said they had planned to demolish the houses in Lawaan II since 2009.

He said they are working with developers to put up a commercial center there. Peter said  they will spare the houses of residents who are close to their family.

Lawyer Sesbreño claims co-ownership of a 7.8-hectare land in Lawaan II and III, which is the property of his client, the Borromeo family.  Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell