New arson raps readied vs alleged NPA rebels in burning of bus in Sarangani

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 9): New arson raps readied vs alleged NPA rebels in burning of bus in Sarangani  

Police are set to file additional arson charges against alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Sarangani Province in connection with the burning of a passenger bus in Kiamba town last Thursday.

Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr., public information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said Monday witnesses have positively several members of the NPA’s Front 73 as directly involved in the burning of a unit of the Yellow Bus Line Inc. (YBL) at around 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 5 in Barangay Nalus, Kiamba.

“There was positive identification of the perpetrators and the group that they were affiliated,” he said.

The police official said the arson charges to be filed are the second against group since December.

The Kiamba police had filed complaints for arson against 13 alleged members of the NPA’s Front 73 over the burning of a YBL bus unit last Nov. 24 in Barangay Katubao.

Charged were Gani Casamuren alias Rayray, Eric Jun Kasilao alias Wally, Makar Sombilag alias Makar and Mark, Filemon Villegas alias Henry and Yoyong, Paul Andrew Rosania alias Patrick, Noel Legazpi alias Jeffrey, Ronniel Danial, Nicanor Rason lias Kustan, Elmer Lasid alias Brando and Bill, and two other unidentified suspects.

The YBL bus unit with body number A-69 originated in this city and was en route to Maitum town in Sarangani when it was burned last Jan. 5 in Purok Yakal, Sitio Linek of Barangay Nalus, Kiamba.

Galgo said extortion appears to be the primary motive of the twin attacks as they were supposedly carried out in retaliation to the refusal of its owner to pay revolutionary taxes.

“There are a number of entities in the region that have been receiving extortion letters (from the NPA,” he said.

Since November, eight passenger bus units were already burned in parts of Region 12 and the neigboring areas by suspected NPA rebels.

Six of the buses were owned by YBL, which is based in Koronadal City, while the two others were owned by local transport cooperative Husky Biocoop.

Suspected NPA rebels also torched a number of heavy equipment in separate attacks in this city, Koronadal City, and in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=953649