6 cops hurt as violence breaks out in Laperal compound
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) At least six policemen were wounded Wednesday afternoon when residents of the Laperal compound in Guadalupe, Makati City hurled stones and bottles at a demolition team that tried to enter the private compound.
The incident came a week after the residents lost their homes to a fire and as they appealed to the city government for a dialogue or public consultation with them before evicting them from the private property.
The atmosphere grew tense as civil disturbance unit and a demolition team from the Makati government prepared to evict the residents, who refused relocation after fire hit the compound Tuesday last week.
Firefighters trained a water cannon on residents who formed a human barricade to prevent the entry of the demolition team.
Last week’s fire razed some 900 houses, leaving around 2,500 families homeless.