IRIGA CITY – A Pakistani businessman here sought police assistance after some unidentified persons tried to burn his two-story house situated at San Jose Village, about two kms. away from the city proper last Sunday evening (May 20).

        In an interview with the Bicol Mail Mubarik Cheema, manager of Inkman Refilling Center and franchise holder of Video City (now video man) outlets here and in some parts of the region said he had been receiving text messages from unknown sender prior to the incident.

        He said he has been threatened several times by the texter telling him that something bad would happen to him and his family should he refuse to give money.

        Initial police investigation disclosed the perpetrators used gasoline-filled bottles with wicks or cords that fueled the flame.

        “All three bottles have exploded when they hit our roof, fortunately the flame did not last long and caused just a little damage to our house,” Cheema added.

        The Pakistani who is married to an Irigueña and has been living here for more than five years together with his family had been at odds with the muslim community, particularly those engaged in selling “pirated” audio and video discs (CP’s VCDs DVDs) here.

        It all started when an enterprising former radio reporter named Aldrin Lee wrote a letter to the Sangguniang Panglungsod requesting for the passage of an ordinance prohibiting the selling, manufacturing and distribution of the fake products.

        When asked for comment, Cheema’s wife Annie told the Bicol Mail that she and her husband had nothing to do with Lee’s move. But she, however, admitted that the newsman used to visit their place and became a friend of theirs.

        Lee claimed that he is the founder and president of the KLPI or Kilos Laban sa Pirated Inc. which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It aims to strengthen the People’s awareness and cooperation to a no-nonsense campaign against the proliferation of counterfeit wares.

        Despite Annie’s denial, most of the muslim businessmen still believed that the move to get rid of them from the marketplace was not Lee’s alone but rather a brainchild of the couple.

        Last April 3, an estimated half million pesos worth of valuable items such as cellphones, jewelries and cold cash were taken away from the couple’s house by four unidentified persons.

        The incident happened when the couple was out providing the robbers the opportunity to amass loot from the house before a horrified six female family members. The robbers left the house with their loot as if nothing happened.