THE military is looking into the possibility that a “criminal gang,” and not the New People’s Army (NPA), was behind the torching incident of vehicles in Manolo Fortich on May 28.
Four vehicles and a motorcycle were set ablaze on Tuesday evening, around 11:30 p.m. by a gang of men that was earlier accosted by roving Barangay Tanod in Purok 3, Brgy Sto Niño, Manolo Fortich.
According to Captain Ryan Layug, 403rd Brigade civil-military officer, said the tanod on duty was outnumbered, and was hogtied by the gang.
The gang later set-up a road block using boulders then torched the vehicles that they used to reach the area near the oil palm plantation. Destroyed were two L300 utility vans; one Toyota Hilux; one Elf truck; and one motorcycle.
Authorities arrived in the area and untied the barangay tanod who was left by the fleeing armed “gang.”
Layug also clarified that there was no encounter between Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) personnel and the armed men, contrary to a police report. He said there was no Cafgu detachment in the area. The barangay tanod on duty was the one harassed by the unidentified group.
But Layug said the group could be members of NPA, but couldn’t confirm it.
“We are not pointing our finger to NPA on this case. We hope the NPA though would comment if these guys are indeed their members,” he said.
As of this report, the police is still investigating to determine the identity of the perpetrators, Col. Edgardo De Leon, commander of 403rd Infantry Brigade said.
“Sa ngayon, pinagaaralan pa ng kapulisan ang modus operandi kung anong criminal gang ang gumawa ng pag carnap at pagsunog ng mga sasakyan (police are now investigating the modus operandi and the identity of ths criminal gang, who did the stealing and burning of the vehicle)”, he said.