Report: Tension mars demolition in San Juan City

Tension marred again a scheduled demolition of a residential area in San Juan City Tuesday as residents threw rocks and water bottles at the demolition team and police personnel. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported the residents of Corazon de Jesus village also barricaded roads leading to their homes at P. Narciso Street and Pinaglabanan Shrine. As soon as the demolition team arrived at 8 a.m., the residents threw rocks and other hard objects at the demolition team members, forcing them to run for cover. Even an anti-riot police team was forced to retreat, and summon a fire truck to the scene. In December last year, tension gripped the San Juan City Hall when residents that will be affected by the schduled demolition staged a picket there. The houses in the area were to be demolished to pave the way for the new City Hall. Earlier, San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez said some 50 families will be displaced by the ongoing road construction in the area. But the dzBB report quoted the residents in the affected area as saying more than 1,000 families may lose their homes to the demolition. — LBG, GMANews.TV