Gunmen torch P13.5M worth of equipment in Digos

Saturday, February 11, 2012

DAVAO CITY -- About P13.5-million worth of property was damaged when unidentified armed men torched heavy equipment owned by a construction company in Digos City on Friday.

Major Jacob Thaddeus Obligado, chief of the Army's 10th Infantry Division’s Civil Military Operation Battalion (CMOBN), said the suspects, wearing black bonnets, torched one backhoe Volvo and one well-mounted crane of the Algon Engineering Construction Company.

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No one was reported hurt in the incident, which took place in Barangay Sinawilan around 10:30 p.m., Obligado said.

The suspects immediately fled after the incident.

Obligado said the motive of the torching is yet to be determined as personnel of the Davao del Sur Provincial Police Office are conducting a follow-up investigation.

On Friday, an estimated P7-million worth of property was also damaged after members of the New People’s Army (NPA) torched heavy equipment that included three dump trucks, a pay loader, and a backhoe in North Cotabato province.

The equipment owned by Ricardo dela Cruz Interior Construction Company (RDCICC) were used for doing road rehabilitation projects in the province.

The incident happened at the quarry site in Barangay San Roque, Kidapawan City, around 10:30 p.m. while the heavy equipment were loading sand and gravel.

Kidapawan Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco said extortion was likely the motive in the arson.

The owner of the torched vehicles, Ricardo dela Cruz Interior Construction Company (RDCICC), has refused to give in to the demands of the group, said the mayor.

Some of the construction workers who witnessed the torching said the armed men told them they want to punish the contractor.

The military said it will file charges of violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law against the rebels behind the incident. (Malu C. Manar)