SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique — Contractors working for various projects in Antique are assured of police assistance following separate arson incidents over the weekend in two municipalities of the province.
Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) on Monday met with the contractors to make them aware on how to prevent similar incidents.
APPO Deputy Director for Operations Superintendent Norby Escobar, in an interview Monday afternoon, said that cases of arsons in Sibalom and Hamtic towns had alarmed them.
“We would like to let the contractors know how to reach the police when they need assistance,” Escobar said.
A backhoe and multi-cab of F and J Construction parked along the road in Barangay San Juan, Sibalom were burned by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels midnight of June 1.
In the morning of June 2, the same group also razed the motor grader heavy equipment of the same construction firm, which was parked along the national highway in Barangay Fabrica in Hamtic, Antique, using a gas torch, rice sacks and plastic.
“As per our information, there was no demand letter from the NPA sent to the contractor prior to the incident,” Escobar said.
He said that the contractor has not informed the police if the NPA has asked revolutionary tax prior to the burning of the heavy equipment.
He also said that based on their theory, the NPA is just sending a strong message about their existence in the province.
“The insurgents must have wanted to send a message that they are still a force to reckon with,” Escobar said.
He added that the police will still determine if the contractor was singled out or it was only a coincidence that it owned both pieces of equipment. (Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA)
