Armed men disarm MMC guards

From the Visayan Daily Star (Mar 3): Armed men disarm MMC guards

A group of unidentified armed men, clad in military uniforms and wearing bonnets, disarmed six security guards of G-Holdings Inc. of their firearms at the Maricalum Mining Corp. compound in Brgy. San Jose, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday.

The eight suspects, who carried M-14 and M-16 assault rifles with M-203 grenade launchers, divested the six members of Ultrafine Security Agency, based at the ECO Park of the MMC compound, of five 12 gauge shotguns with ammunition, a 9mm caliber pistol and their cellular phones.

Chief Inspector Romeo Vargas, Sipalay City police officer-in-charge, yesterday said the suspects fled towards a warehouse, where they were fetched by a white van with plate number GB 8461.

The van, that was escorted by motorcycles, passed through the airport, while fleeing from the MMC compound, investigations of the Sipalay City police showed.

The disarming of the G-Holding security guards came several hours after four claimants of the scrap iron at the MMC had a meeting with Senior Supt. Rodolfo Castil, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City, to thresh out their differences.

Vargas said it was clarified during the dialog that policemen, with some already facing charges before the Ombudsman, were not taking sides on any of the four claimants.

It was also stressed that the main job of the police is to maintain peace and order and protect the court sheriffs, and will abide with whatever order of the court, he added.

On the other hand, Vargas said they cannot ascertain yet if the suspects who divested the security guards of their guns, are members of the New People’s Army.

Troopers of the Negros Occidental PNP Provincial Mobile Force and local policemen are presently deployed in the area, to maintain peace and order.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2018/March/03/topstory5.htm