Armed men torched heavy equipment, van in Surigao City

From the Philippine New Agency (Feb 21): Armed men torched heavy equipment, van in Surigao City

About 20 men clad in military uniforms and rain boots entered a compound in Surigao City Wednesday evening and burned two heavy equipment and a van, police reports said.

Belated reports from Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office reaching the police regional headquarters here Friday, said that a call from a tipster reported the burning incident in Km. 8, Brgy. Bonifacio to the Surigao City police at 8:00 p.m. Upon receipt of the reports, personnel of Surigao City Police led by its chief PCInsp. Rudy L. Elandag and the Surigao del Norte Provincial Public Safety Company led by PSupt. Jonathan G. Trojello proceeded to the area to verify the incident and conduct investigation.

The police said that based on their initial investigation, about 20 armed men in military uniforms and rain boots armed with high caliber firearms entered the premises and ordered everyone inside to drop to the ground. All the male workers were accordingly ordered to remain dropping while the females were brought outside. Then the armed men set the two pay loaders (Komatsu and Xiaggong) and a Blue/Silver colored Mitsubishi Canter closed van (GSU 673) on fire with the use of gasoline. Then the armed men shot the Xiaggong pay loader at the engine portion which caused leaking on the oil compartment.

Some of the armed men even entered the the employees quarters and destroyed the doors of the cabinets scattering the contents and other personal belongings of the workers on the floor as the suspects were allegedy looking for firearms and drugs. The armed men left the place after 30 minutes towards the western direction heading to Sitio Panggaboon, Brgy. Quezon of Surigao City.

The police said that the fire caused slight damages to the vehicles as the workers were able to put off the fire after the armed men left. Police investigation also disclosed that the owner of the heavy equipment and the vehicle, a certain Engr. Joel E. Tinio allegedly received a demand from a certain "Ka Naing" for some amount sometimes in December 2013, of which the owner accordingly failed to heed. Further information disclosed that a letter by an unidentified person was sent to the workers few days before the incident which the workers had failed to receive.

The personnel from Surigao City police, the Surigao del Norte Crime Laboratory and the Bureau of Fire Protection have conducted investigation and processing of the area. The troops from Surigao del Norte Provincial Public Safety Company and the 30th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army are now conducting hot pursuit operations against the fleeing suspects. The police conducted a deeper probe on the incident to determine whether the incident was a handiwork of the CPP-NPA-NDF or other extortion groups, the police said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=618522