Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Rebels who ransacked penal farm jumped off from farm By Ben O. Tesiorna and Carlo P. Mallo
THE investigation on the raid on the armory of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, more commonly known as Dapecol after its old name Davao Penal Colony, has widened as authorities are looking into the possible collusion of some farm owners with the New People's Army (NPA).
Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that one Jojo Mahipus is to be questioned regarding intelligence reports that his farm in Manay, Panabo City was made a jump-off point of the more than 30 rebels who attacked the penal institution at around 1:30 a.m. of April 8.
Major Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the farm in Manay is "under the growership of Jojo Mahipus" and that he will be "visited by investigators for questioning."
Attempts to get Jojo's side proved futile but Davao City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus, third degree cousin of Jojo, said the farm of his cousin had long been identified as among the area where sightings of rebels are often reported.
The councilor said he already informed the Philippine Army about the sightings prior to Sunday's incident but nothing has happened.
"Palaging may sightings diyan sa Manay noon pa man. Ni-report ko na nga iyan sa Army pero di rin naman nila pwedeng bantayan 24 hours yung area. Talagang dinadaanan yan ng mga rebelde diyan," Councilor Mahipus said.
Initial investigations showed the vans were contracted from Panabo and Tagum on the guise that these will be used as service vehicles for a wedding in Manay.
When the hired vans arrived in Manay, the rebels boarded them and ordered the drivers to proceed to Dapecol.
In addition, Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Bautista added that a brigade operation has been launched Sunday morning in the area to seal off possible exit routes of the insurgents. Moreover, the Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police continues to conduct operations in the lowland areas.
It was reported Monday that a group of about 30 insurgents led by Commander Parago raided the armory of the Dapecol last Sunday. The group posed as members of Task Force Davao and was able to cart away over a hundred high-powered firearms and multitudes of ammunitions.
Colonel Alan Luga, commanding officer of the Task Force Davao, thus reminded the public that Task Force Davao operates only in Davao City. Anyone caught posing as a Task Force Davao member will face the law.
The suspected communists disarmed the gatehouse guards and roving guard of the Tagum Agricultural Development Corporation (Tadeco) just across the penal farm (Dapecol) entrance and raided the armory some half a kilometer inside the complex.
Not a single gun was fired.
Aside from the M16 and M14 rifles and .9mm pistol taken from the guards, the rebels carted off 45 pieces of Carbines, three M16 rifles, five caliber .38 revolvers, 46 shotguns, five handcuffs, 1,000 rounds of M16 ammunition, 1,000 rounds of Carbine, 500 rounds of .38 mm ammunition, and 586 rounds of shotgun ammunition.
The rebels took with them the three guards as they fled onboard the same vans to Barangay Kasilak, Panabo City where they dropped off the three men. The van drivers have already surrendered to the police in Tagum and Panabo cities.
