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BACOLOD CITY — Unidentified armed men set ablaze P5 million worth of heavy machinery and equipment in Sitio Manghuya, Barangay Aya, La Libertad, Negros Oriental on Feb. 8, 2025.
Burned were two backhoes, a loader and a dump truck used for a road construction project by Supreme Mega Structure Builders Inc.
ARSON This dump truck is among the heavy equipment burned by unidentified armed men on Feb. 8, 2025, in Barangay Aya, La Libertad, Negros Oriental. LA LIBERTAD POLICE PHOTO
Col. J-Jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division Civil Military Operations chief, said the arson incident is still under investigation and they are looking at all possible leads and angles.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesman of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Noppo), said on Monday the incident happened between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga, 62IB commanding officer, said the sub-village of Manghuya is not densely populated but residents in the area are saying they have no idea or knowledge about the arson.
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The site of the incident is situated on the boundary of Binalbagan in Negros Occidental and Barangay Linantuyan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
The Philippine Army in Negros Oriental, meanwhile, has assured it will provide security during the midterm elections in May 2025.
Col. Leroy Daanton, deputy commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, made the commitment on Friday afternoon during a Peace Covenant signing and Interfaith Prayer Rally initiated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental have been placed under the Stable Internal Peace and Security status by the 3rd Infantry Division, as concurred by their respective Provincial Peace and Order Councils.
Daanton assured the public that the Philippine Army units is actively taking part in securing the Negros Island against any kind of threat that would mar the elections.
During the Provincial Joint Security Control Center meeting on Feb. 8, Daanton said all guerilla fronts of the New People's Army in Negros Island have already been dismantled but are on the lookout for rebel remnants that may cause trouble during the campaign period.
