Cases Prepared

From the Mindanao Times (Apr 11): Cases Prepared

Armed men who torched heavy equipment to face charges

DAVAO CITY Police Office director Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum said cases will be filed against identified NPA members who torched 10 heavy equipment units in the three hinterland areas of Davao City on Black Saturday.

“Within this week,” Tagum said when prompted for a timeline in the filing of the case.

The DCPO has not yet specified the cases to be filed against the suspects.

Tagum also said that he is willing to face any investigation against him and the three chief of polices of Paquibato, Calinan, and Marilog to quell any doubts about security lapses.

However in an earlier interview, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio already dismissed any negligence on the part of the police and the military in the burning incident.

“What we can see is the lack of coordination between our contractors and our security units operating in that area,” she told reporters at the headquarters of the Davao City Police Office along San Pedro Street.

Meanwhile, police filed an arson charge against seven alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who torched one backhoe in Sitio Banualay, Barangay Palma Gil around 10 a.m. on April 3.

Speaking in yesterday’s AFP-PNP press conference held at Royal Mandaya hotel, Chief Insp .Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO) XI, said that the arson case was filed on Tuesday around 1 p.m. against Joe Almendras, Dalagis Balite, Enting Mansumiat, Lugib Tausan, Enting Tumbasay, Rommel Tausan and Laro Manlologpis, all residents of Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Driz said the case was filed in the provincial prosecution office in Tagum City on regular filing duly signed by Christy Theresa Bernadette Drueza, Associate Attorney II.

“We are looking into this, the policemen always go to the area where the incident happened to conduct further investigation,” she further said.

On Black Saturday, reported NPA members burned 10 heavy equipment in the three barangays in Buhangin and Paquibato districts.

Another backhoe was torched by seven armed men in Sitio Banualay, Barangay Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte around 10 a.m. on April 3.

Duterte condemned the attacks, which she described as “downright cowardly.”

The construction of roads in Barangay Callawa in Buhangin, Barangay Fatima in Paquibato, and Barangay Dalagdag in Calinan are now temporarily stalled because of the attacks, she said.

“The road projects could make the delivery of other basic services to the people faster — including health, education, agricultural development and livelihood,” the mayor said. “The said projects could change the lives of the people for the better.”

“The fresh atrocities reveal that the terrorist group only truly intends for people to continue living in a condition of poverty, which they could use as a capital in their propaganda against the government and to justify their presence in the communities where their influence and significance are waning,” the mayor said.

Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza also condemned “in the strongest way the senseless destruction of heavy equipment.”

“The fact that the three consecutive attacks happened during the observance of Holy Week all the more angers us,” Dureza said.

http://mindanaotimes.net/arson-case-vs-npas/