Pasay cops insist no
fatalities in demolition
THE Pasay city police force yesterday said it is ready to face an investigation over Wednesday’s violent demolition of shanties of Muslim residents along Roxas blvd.
"We are not hiding anything and we will not hide anything," Senior Supt. Raul Petrasanta said.
Petrasanta also denied the claim of Abdelmanan Tanandato, a Muslim community leader, that three residents were killed.
"While there were several people who were injured, including personnel from the demolition team and one of our men, no one was killed," he said.
Tanandato, in a phone interview, stood firm in his statement that Hakim Husman, 50, Rajid Batalo, 7, and Yacob Macalnas, 20 were killed by police escorts of the demolition team.
He said the three sustained gunshot wounds from an M-16 rifle and 9mm pistols.
He said as part of the Muslim tradition, the victims were buried before sunset at the Islamic Center nearby.
The policemen insisted they only fired warning shots in the air when some 50 residents hurled stones and bottles at the direction of the demolition team.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority belied reports that the shanties were demolished to give way to agency’s traffic project.
The operation was initiated by the Pasay city government for supposed construction of a commercial center," said MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno.
Nacianceno said the city government sought the agency’s help but it was turned down by chairman Bayani Fernando.
He said Fernando pointed out that MMDA demolishes only the structures that obstruct road rights of way.
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