School to be demolished for Malabon parking lot

Parents of students at the Tañong Elementary School in Malabon raised a howl of protest against the plan to demolish and relocate the school to make way for a parking lot for the Star-J Plaza allegedly owned by Jack Ng, a close friend of President Estrada.

Sources told The STAR that municipal councilor Diosdado Cunanan had filed a resolution paving the way for the school's relocation.

In Cunanan's resolution, a big portion of the school compound would be swapped with property of the Porex Realty Co. which will turn the school into a commercial parking lot that will cater to shoppers at the Star-J Plaza, a multi-story commercial center. The building is the tallest in Malabon.

A staffer at the office of Cunanan said the proposed resolution was recalled and "temporarily" shelved.

The STAR failed to get the comments of Mayor Amado "Boy Vicencio and other municipal officials who were attending a meeting yesterday afternoon.

Inquiries made by The STAR at the Star-J Plaza debunked rumors that the commercial complex was owned by former movie actress Laarni Enriquez, who is mother to three children by President Estrada.

Jack Peña, secretary to Allen Enriquez, brother of Laarni and general manager of the commercial center, said the Enriquezes were only responsible for the administration of the building.

It was learned that the real owner of the building is Ng. President Estrada stood as godfather at the wedding of Ng's son to the daughter of magnate Lucio Tan. - Rainier Allan Ronda