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Saturday, July 26, 2008
Passenger bus torched
SAN FABIAN, PANGASINAN -- A Five Star passenger bus was set on fire by two still unidentified men at the transport firm's terminal in Barangay Tempra-Guilig here Thursday night.
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Another bus parked at the back of the burnt bus was damaged.
Municipal Police Chief Chito Esmenda ruled out the involvement of the New People's Army (NPA) in the incident, even if the arsonists introduced themselves to the security guard on duty as communist rebels.
According to Cesar Hernandez, manager of the bus company, the burned bus bearing cost P1 million.
He told the police they did not receive any demand letter from the NPA prior to the burning.
Esmenda said they are focusing their investigation on a management-labor dispute, adding that some employees who were suspended or terminated in the past.
He said they would ask for the full cooperation of the company in the investigation especially in the identification of Five Star workers that were suspended or terminated.
Two armed men arrived at the terminal at 9:15 p.m. Thursday and disarmed the security guard, identified as Juan Sinisan. They introduced themselves to the guard as NPA members.
They also took the battery of the cellular phone of firm division supervisor Reynaldo Jumaquio before they poured gasoline on the bus and lit it up.
Esmenda believed the arsonists are just staying in the town.
"For one, they (arsonists) will be noticed and checked if they transport the gasoline they used. The high octane gasoline poured on the bus can be bought from any gasoline station here," he said.
Policemen who responded to the alarm recovered a white plastic container and fragments of energy drink bottles.
Esmenda said there was laxity in security, but the guard cannot be totally blamed for the incident because he also acts as dispatcher in the terminal.
He said he would talk with the guard's agency about the matter. "They have to change their policy. When you say security guard, his business is to secure and not to be a dispatcher," he said. (Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (July 26, 2008 issue)
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