4 hurt, over 80 families displaced in fire

MORE than 100 shanties were razed in a fire that hit a slum area in Las Piñas City before noon yesterday. City fire marshal Gerardo Porley told the INQUIRER that the blaze started around 10 a.m. in a residential community on Lotus Street, Barangay Almanza Dos. Four persons suffered minor burns while more than 80 families were displaced in the fire that lasted for about two hours, said Porley. The investigator estimated that damage to property may total P2 million. The fire department was still verifying reports that the blaze was sparked by a lit stove that was left unattended in one of the houses. Almanza Dos barangay captain Vicente Alovera Jr. said that the affected families, mostly informal settlers, had sought shelter at the barangay covered court. “Mayor Vergel Aguilar immediately sent social workers who assessed the number of displaced families and provided them with food and medicine,” Alovera added. “They will be transferred to Almanza Dos Elementary School today or on Wednesday and they will stay there until the local government can find a relocation site for them,” he said. Last week, a fire also razed houses on Guadalupe Street, Fatima Subdivision in Barangay Zapote in the same city, killing a 7-year-old boy. The half-blind victim was reportedly tied to a bed by his parents at the time of the fire because of his unruly behavior. A CHINESE auto supply trader was killed by robbers as he was waiting inside his car yesterday morning in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Police said Leonardo Chua, 62, of Tuguegarao City, was shot several times when fought the robbers on Aliw-iw Street at 7:15 a.m. According to PO3 Henry Navarro of the Manila police, Chua was visiting his brother-in-law in Manila and was about to go to a clinic for a checkup. After he got into his Nissan Patrol, he left the door open as he was waiting for his driver. However, two men on a motorcycle stopped by the vehicle and one of them got off and took at gunpoint Chua’s gold necklace and expensive watch. When the victim put up a fight, the robber shot him five times and then fled. Witnesses said the gunman had a limp in the right leg and was wearing black shirt and denim pants. Chua was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. A TRAFFIC enforcer was able to arrest a thief right after the latter took a woman’s necklace on Edsa in Quezon City. Fortunately for Girlie Lubi, she got back her gold necklace and pendant worth P14,000 from Joseph Tañohan, 24. Traffic constable Marco Niño of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority turned over Tañohan to authorities. Case investigator PO3 Marlon Tan said the theft happened at 5 p.m. on Sunday at a bus terminal near SM North Edsa. Lubi was walking with her husband when Tañohan approached them and grabbed her necklace. The victim’s husband ran after the thief which caught the attention of Niño who collared the suspect.