Suspects in burning banana truck still unknown

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 11): Suspects in burning banana truck still unknown

The perpetrators in the burning of a panel carrying bananas in Barangay Talandang last Monday night remained unidentified to the authorities as of presstime,

Lt. Colonel Raymund Lachica, outgoing commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Brigade said perpetrators of the incident comprised of four armed individuals remained unidentified and their motives unknown.

He said the group identified themselves as communist rebels but authorities still look at the possible involvement of other groups.

“As of now we cannot conclude that the rebels were involved. We will wait for the result of the investigation of the police,” Lachica said.

He said based on their monitoring, the main rebel group is already out of Toril and Marilog areas but small groups continue to roam around.

Lachica said he no longer discounts the possibility that some of the rebels remain in the area.

He also revealed about receiving feelers that some of the rebels want to return to the folds of the law within this week.

Lachica said the city government of Davao has donated P5-Million for the halfway house called “Bahay-Kalinaw" which will be constructed at the headquarters of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade in Barangay Mahayag, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte.

He said all the documentary requirements, reintegration and reorientation to the mainstream society and livelihood trainings of the rebel surrenderees will be conducted there.

When he assumed as commanding officer initially of the 84th IB in Malagos, Calinan, Lachica has instilled to the troops the value of discipline, in doing the right things and back to basics as part of cleansing the ranks.

He said more than a hundred rebels surrendered to their unit.

Lachica said that when the 84th IB transformed to 3rd Infantry Battalion, 73 rebels with 49 firearms surrendered to them.

Incidentally, he recalled losing four soldiers due to improvised explosive device or IEDs in the conduct of security operations in Barangay Lamanan and in other areas last February 2018.

He also narrated that the convergence through the Serbisyo Caravan headed by the local government greatly helped the residents in barangays.

Lachica said the people are constantly briefed on the security and disaster preparedness through regular meetings.

He also lauded the tight coordination between the police and the government troops when it comes to security operations in the area.

http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1010235