Sanchez siblings unite to donate lot for center

The Sanchez siblings agreed to  honor the memory of their father with a good deed.

The three children of the late Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. are donating  a lot in barangay Tayud, Consolacion town to the Cebu provincial government to house children in conflict with the law.

Provincial Board Member Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero and her brother Leodegreco “Greco” Sanchez visited the office of Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale  yesterday to sign a consent letter for the donation.

The 500-square-meter lot will  be used for the  extension of a province-owned facility for youth offenders occupying an adjacent 1,000 square meter lot.

The facility called My Home will be renamed the Gregorio Sanchez Jr. Center for Children in Conflict with the Law, Magpale said.

Since the lot is covered by a common title in the name of heirs of the late Sanchez, all three children had to consent to give it  up.

These are Zaballero, who is the eldest sibling, Greco and their married sister Gerly Sanchez-Spiller, who is based in Australia.

Greco was released last week  by the court after a  22-month stay at the government drug rehabilitation center in Argao, Cebu.

READ: Greco’s new mate asks for privacy

“Something good happened. Now that he is out, his first act is to donate,” said Magpale, who said Gov. Hilario Davide III is happy about the development.

The youngest  sister, Spiller,  who is abroad, agreed to the donation, saying she fully supports it.

“It keeps our Dad’s legacy alive,” said Spiller in an e-mail.  “He was always  giving people a chance to mend their ways. Children in conflict with the law should know there are people out there ready to help them.”

Magpale described  the donation  as “God-sent”  because she’s seen the need for “more to be served” in the center. She  said she  was also happy seeing the two siblings  Gigi and Greco together.

Yesterday was the first public sighting of the siblings after Greco was released and   shocked  his family by marrying Asst. Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro in a Muslim ceremony.

Zaballero, who is taking care of Greco’s four children,  did not attend the ceremony but sent her greetings in a text message.

Asked whether she has  “accepted” her brother’s new marriage,   Zaballero only said that the two are consenting adults who were responsible for their own decisions.

In an earlier statement to CDN, she said Greco was “very vulnerable” and that she hopes the people he associates with in his new life are sincere and help him in his road to recovery.