SunStar Pampanga, Dec. 06, 2005
FLORIDABLANCA -- A policeman doused himself with gasoline and opened the valves of seven liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tanks in his bid to prevent the demolition of his store.
Senior Superintendent Artemio Icban, chief of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID), identified the policeman as Police Officer 1 Dennis Cortez, a member of the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) in Central Luzon and of Barangay Poblacion in the town.
Icban said Cortez "held himself hostage" to keep a demolition team from the Municipal Government from pulling down the structures encroaching the roads.
Police said for three hours, Cortez - who was holding a lighter - threatened to set himself and his store and livestock cages, on fire. Spectators and policemen scampered for their safety when they heard Cortez threatening to ignite the lighter.
On Sept. 30, the Office of the Second Engineering District headed by Hernando Manansala wrote a letter to the police requesting assistance in the demolition of Cortez's livestock cage, to pave the way for the rehabilitation of a drainage canal and construction of a sidewalk along San Antonio-Floridablanca Road.
Cortez, according to local officials, was given until October 25 to voluntarily demolish the obstruction.
Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, chief of the Central Luzon police, had directed the RMG to forcibly remove the structure owned by Cortez last November 10, but failed to execute the order.
Last Friday, elements of the RMG assisted the engineering personnel in carrying out the demolition, but Cortez resisted and maintained his position inside the 30-square meter steel cage.
The policeman, however, later gave up after a few hours of negotiation. He was charged with "frustrated arson".
