Residents complain after being fenced in

CEBU, Philippines - Close to 100 residents in sitio San Roque, barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City fear for their lives after being fenced in by a neighboring lot owner who had put up a fence around his property where the residents pass through to get to their homes.

The residents are requesting the city for a road right of way.

In their one page-letter sent to City Councilor Eduardo Cuizon, the district councilor of Pusok, the residents said that the road leading to their area has been fenced by the owner.

"It greatly affects and endangers our day to day living," the letter read.

They claimed that without the road, their lives could be put at risk in case of a fire.

They said the matter has been referred to the barangay captain in Pusok but until now he has not acted on their problem.

But Pusok barangay secretary Hermes Lutao, in an interview with The FREEMAN, denied that the barangay did not act on their complaint. He said the barangay has invited the property owner to settle the problem.

"Ato naman gipadad-an og suwat ang tag-iya aron kapangitaan nato og pamaagi ang maong problema. Kami diri sa barangay amo nang gihangyo nga mahatagan ta bisan og one meter lang para kaagi-an sa mga tawo dihang dapita," Lutao said. — THE FREEMAN