Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Search for armed men leads cops to foundation
A SEARCH for reported armed persons led a police team to a group that claimed to be planning several projects for a small mountain village in Oslob, Cebu.
Although police were unable to find long firearms in Barangay Can-ukban, Oslob, they met representatives of the Moncado Park Foundation Inc. (MPFI)
Last week, police teams were sent to the southern part of Cebu after they received reports of the presence of armed persons aboard a white van.
But representatives of MPFI showed up at Sun.Star Cebu yesterday to deny they were armed. They said they were in Can-ukban to develop the area, showing a letter they had presented to Can-ukban Barangay Captain Elmer Ronulo introducing their group as a foundation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
They said they would be constructing in the area several infrastructure projects, including a 132-story building, school buildings, water and electrical systems, condominiums, a hospital, a hotel, a “federal bank and other relevant projects to be constructed for the better future of our nation.”
They took offense to the report that they were armed, saying they did not want people to think they were dangerous. They also claimed they had foreign funding of P250,000 a month for their projects. They feared the report would stop the funds from coming.
Though no firearms were recovered from them, police have not yet cleared the group.
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday they were verifying their registration with the SEC.
As for the van, he said the plate number was registered to a Suzuki pick-up, which was why they will require further investigation with the Land Transportation Office.
They are also getting the statements of two persons from Can-ukban who were reportedly recruited to become members of MPFI.
Valmoria said they want to know why some members of Moncado have military ranks, including someone who claims to be a five-star general, when the top leadership of the AFP and PNP are only four-star generals.
The letter sent to Ronule was signed by one Gen. Isabelo Cabasa, who identified himself as president and founder of MPFI.
“We are authorized by the government agency to develop the whole nation because our organization was registered in the SEC,” their letter to Ronulo said.
They had sent the letter requesting barangay clearance.
Insp. Juan Casipong, Oslob Police Chief, said they were unable to catch up with the group members aboard the white van. But they talked to a woman designated as “board of director” in Oslob.
Casipong said that apart from a five-star general, he said their members have the ranks of lieutenant general and major general.
“Ug tinuod na sila nga general, mo-coordinate gyud unta na sila bag-o sila muabot aron dili maalarma ang mga tawo didto (If it’s true that they are generals, they should have coordinated with us so as not to alarm the people),” Casipong said.
He said residents of the barangay were the ones who alerted them on the presence of the group.
Though the initial report was that of armed men, the informant admitted he did not see firearms, only big bags. But he was worried that the bags contained long firearms.
Valmoria for his part said they are verifying with higher headquarters about MPFI, although initially, he said they were more of a spiritual group.
He said a member of the group paid him a visit last Friday and presented him documents.
He said the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch is now handling the investigation. (MEA)
