By Jennifer P. Rendon
Six armed men set on fire two heavy equipment of a construction firm in broad daylight in Jamindan, Capiz.
The suspects stormed the construction site of a farm-to-market road at Sitio Nato, Barangay San Jose, Jamindan, around 11:45 a.m. on March 9.
They then set ablaze a backhoe and a mini dump truck (license plate CAM 7927) of MBM Construction Supply owned by a certain Myla Muyco of Roxas City, Capiz.
A village official from the nearby Sto. Rosario reported the incident to police authorities.
According to witnesses, two of the six suspects, both armed with a long firearm, flagged down all vehicles going to Sitio Proper of Barangay San Jose. Two others hailed all vehicles traversing from the opposite direction.
The third pair of suspects doused the heavy equipment with gasoline and lit them afire.
After the burning was completed, the armed persons fired around 10 shots in the air before fleeing towards Barangay Calaagos, Mambusao town.
Police investigation indicated that another group of armed men may have been waiting on the higher ground in the said area.
Lieutenant Jobert delos Reyes, Jamindan police chief, said the amount of damage is yet to be determined.
He added that they could not rule for now if the arsonists are members of the New People’s Army (NPA). (With a report from Felipe V. Celino)
