Army unit now doubts ‘NPA role’ in Iloilo PCOS burning

The military tentatively "cleared" the communist-led New People's Army (NPA) of involvement in the burning of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in Iloilo province the weekend before the May 10 elections. A local Army unit who interviewed residents of the village contradicted the claims of two policemen on what caused the fire, Iloilo-based The News Today reported Tuesday. Five PCOS machines were razed in the Home Economics building of Caduldulan Elementary School in Miag-ao, Iloilo last Saturday. The 82nd Infantry Battalion, in its report to the military's Task Force HOPE, said residents saw no armed group in the area or heard any explosion when the incident happened. It contrasted with the allegation of the Miag-ao Police Station, which claimed 15 armed rebels led by Armando "Allan/Kamlon" Sabares were behind the incident. PO2 Placido Nacis and PO1 Cenon Elicanal, the police officers detailed at the JSCC-Security Assistance Desk, claimed they were fetching water at a nearby well when they saw smoke coming from the HE building. They added they saw armed men firing their guns, and withdrew and reported the incident to the Miag-ao Police Station. But village captain Romeo Forclarans said he and other residents saw the two policemen eating some 200 meters from the HE building. After seeing the smoke, residents rushed to the area to put out the fire, but the building was locked, preventing them from retrieving the PCOS machines. Investigation also showed residents in the area suspected the fire stemmed from an electrical short circuit in the kitchen. The burned PCOS machines were to be used for Cabalaunan, Caduldulan, Matalngon, Onop and To-ong villages. Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Elizabeth Doronila immediately sent PCOS machines to replace the burnt ones. Meanwhile, PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas had announced on May 9 that they will create a special investigation task group to look into the incident. The group will have Chief Insp. Fernando Salvatierra, provincial officer of the Iloilo Criminal Investigation and Detection Team; Supt. Edgardo Lenizo; Lt. Col. Jorge Joel Lalaquil of the Army’s 82nd IB; and Insp. Ferdinand Limbungan of the Miag-ao Police Station, as members. “Pending the result of the investigation, we maintained that the incident was perpetrated by armed rebels," Cuevas added. Nacis and Elicanal were also placed on probe.—JV, GMANews.TV