14 face raps over Parañaque homeowners’ village row

MANILA, Philippines — Fourteen people, including two retired military officers, are facing charges before the Parañaque City prosecutor’s office for allegedly illegally entering and ransacking the Multinational Village Homeowners’ Association (MVHAI) office on June 2.

Charges of grave threats and coercion were filed last week against businessmen Jose Templonuevo and Renato Reyes, retired Armed Forces of the Philippines officers Alden Arabaca and Delfin Licup Jr., Carmelo Marquez, Demostres Austria, Gelbert Alcasid, Polymar Mangay-ayam and Allan Gavillan. Five other respondents remain unidentified.

Templonuevo, Marquez and Reyes were elected board directors of the MVHAI last May.

Arabaca and Licup were taken into police custody. They yielded a .45-caliber handgun, a .40-caliber pistol and ammunition.

The two are facing a separate case for violating the election gun ban.

According to the city public information office, the respondents tried to “illegally take over” the leadership of the MVHAI last week despite an injunction case filed against them.

Investigation showed that the respondents, together with newly hired security guards, took over the subdivision’s Gate 1 on June 2.

However, the old guards of the MVHAI refused to leave their posts, which fueled an altercation between the new and old officers of the homeowners’ association.

Police are looking into the incident.