Demolition to continue - Sesbreño

CEBU, Philippines - The death of his wife and two others will not stop lawyer Raul Sesbreño from continuing with the demolition of structures in properties he owns in Talisay City.

“One hundred one percent I will continue the demolition even if it would risk the lives of my family,” Sesbreño said.

The lawyer’s wife, Virginia, was killed with two others Wednesday after they left the demolition site in Barangays Lawaan 1, 2 and 3.

He told The FREEMAN that the incident made him mad and it will not stop him to continue the demolition.

Sesbreño said that killing his family would not scare him and he would seek revenge by continuing with the demolition, which he believes is the reason for the killings.

“I still have 5 years to do it (demolition) so even next year or a year from now I can still have their houses demolished bisan pila pa sa akong pamilya ang kuhaon nila,” he said.

He reiterated that he already knows who the mastermind of the crime is since the man had been threatening him.

He, however, refused to disclose the name, but he has provided the information to the National Bureau of Investigation.

Sesbreño said that he told the demolition team last Wednesday to include the house of his suspect among those that would be demolished.

Shortly after the demolition activities for that day ceased, he received a call that his wife along with their family friend Joshua Young and their helper Soledad Epanto, were waylaid at corner Rabaya St. and the Cebu South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City.

 Sesbreño suspects that some well-off people, who are also affected by the demolition are also in on the crime.

“Duda ko dunay laing nagpaluyo nga kwartahan nga apil sa demolition nga gusto pud patyon akong asawa aron ihunong ang demolition,” (I suspect that there is somebody with money, who is affected by the demolition, that wants my wife killed so we would stop the demolition) he said.

The Sesbreño couple owns parcels of land in the said barangays where settlers have been ordered by the court to vacate. Sesbreño was formerly the lawyer of the deceased original landowners. The land came to his possession as these were used by his clients to pay his attorney’s fee.

The demolition was supposed to continue yesterday and today, but due to fear, sheriff Constancio Alimurung Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 asked Sesbreño to postpone it.

The demolition of the structures will continue on Monday.

Virginia will be laid to rest this 1 p.m. at the Carreta Public Cemetery.

Young’s remains will be brought to Surigao del Sur today.

The three victims were on board a white Isuzu DMax pick-up bearing plate number YHT-517 heading to Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City when ambushed.

Post-mortem

Dr. Nestor Sator, medico-legal-officer of the Philippine National Police, said he recovered one slug on Virginia’s left armpit. She had gunshot wounds in her right arm and right side of the body.

Young, who was from Lapu-Lapu City, also had two slugs on the left side of the body. He succumbed to gunshot wounds in his right arm and chest.

Epanto, of Barangay Lawaan, also had one slug in her left armpit. She had wounds in her right armpit, hand and wrist.

Sator said that slugs were caliber .45.

He also agreed with the theory that the killer was a professional hit man due to the grouping of the shots.

Shut up

Epanto’s husband, Magdaleno, went to the Talisay Police yesterday to report that he was warned by neighbors to keep quiet about the death of his wife.

He said that he was told by neighbors, who he refused to name, not to make any move about the case.

The Epantos are from Barangay Lawaan 3.

Meanwhile, Amelia Villaver, a resident of Lawaan II, also a caretaker of the Sesbreños, and her daughter Pamela, 22, asked for police assistance after allegedly hearing reports that armed men were looking for her.

SPO1 Mikie Espina said shortly after the ambush, neighbors had been advising the Villavers that they should not go out of their house, as there were armed men, who were asking for the whereabouts of Amelia. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)