Camp Dangwa, Benguet: The equipments of RUA Construction Field Office located at Sitio Malitep Balili Bontoc, Mt Province were burned by still unidentified perpetrators on September 29, 2009.
The policemen led by Pcinsp Julio Lizardo, Chief of Police of Bontoc Municipal Police Station who responded to the crime scene discovered that six (6) transit mixers and three (3) Komatsu Back Hoes was burned on site. Their investigation disclosed that the suspects were about twenty to thirty heavily armed men with three female companions armed with M16 and M14 rifles. They wake up the employees and gathered them in front of the main office of the said company and identified themselves as members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The team leader of the suspects started lecturing the laborers and the employees about the delay of wages, low salary and corruption allegedly committed by the contractors while his companions begin to torch the equipment with gasoline they brought with them. They also discussed to the employees about their mission of recruitment, fight for the poor and democracy, and change the government. After the lecture, the employees were brought inside the drivers/operators quarters and the suspects withdrew towards Barangay Alab, Bontoc.
The damages estimated were more or less 25.2 million pesos. Hot pursuit operation by police personnel is still on going as of press time. Pcsupt Orlando L Pestano, Regional Director ordered the police personnel of Mt Province and its operating Units to intensify their manhunt operation for the identification of the suspects who committed the arson and to strengthen their security measures in all vital installations and project sites of the government to prevent similar occurrence.
