‘Right of way’ triggers NGCP tower blasts - military

From the Sun Star-Cagayan de Oro (Nov 18): ‘Right of way’ triggers NGCP tower blasts - military

The right of way issue between the landowners and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has been the motive behind the toppling of Towers 19 and 20 located at the hilltop of Barangay Sugod in Marawi City on October 29 and the last attempt to topple another tower, 13, in Barangay Karomatan also in Marawi on November 7.

Colonel Gilbert I. Gapay, commanding officer of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army ordered his troops based in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City to conduct survey and security measures in the areas where transmission lines are located.

Gapay sent troops to the area, which later reported that one of the NGCP towers based in Barangay Tingin-tingin in Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norted had been pilfered with the volts stolen.

Gapay assures the brigade is closely monitoring the landowners who wants 600 to 700 percent payment from NGCP, which he said ‘is unacceptable.’

"The signature bomb made of mortars were made into an improvise explosive device (IED) with triggering device that toppled the two towers,” Gapay said, adding that some of the landowners have relatives of the “rogue” Moro Islamic Liberation Front members capable of bombing the NGCP pylons.

Gapay added that once the towers in Lanao del Norte will be toppled, 60 percent of Mindanao island will be affected putting it into darkness.

Gapay said that the military is also monitoring the activities of the young radicals also called as “Khilafa,” which is a locally organized terror group based in Butig town in Lanao del Sur. These young radicals are allegedly conducting enlistment, recruitment and indoctrination of other young Muslims.

"The military tagged Khilafa as the prime suspect in the ambush of troops in Pantar town in Lanao del Norted on July 13 this year which killed an Army trooper and wounded seven others," Gapay said.

Gapay chaired a meeting with the Joint Peace Security Command Center Wednesday with the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections.

Gapay assured lawyer Reynaldo A. Magbutay, Comelec 10 Regional Executive Director, that the military is extending its full support in the May 2016 elections in the two Lanao provinces.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2015/11/18/right-way-triggers-ngcp-tower-blasts-military-442322