Bus firm not cooperating fully in probe, cops say

MANILA, Philippines - The management of Victory Liner, whose buses armed men torched in Quezon City before dawn Thursday, is not cooperating in the investigation, police complained Friday. Quezon City police chief Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula said the bus firm has so far sent only its "little Indians" to deal with them in getting to the bottom of the bus-burning incident. "Problema natin walang nakipagusap mismo na management. Mga Little Indian lang ang pinadala nila (Our problem is that we have not been able to talk with management. They have so far sent us their Little Indians)," Gatdula said in an interview on dzXL radio. As this developed, security was tightened at Victory Liner's compound in Caloocan City in northern Metro Manila. Several armed men forced their way into the Victory Liner compound in Cubao, Quezon City before dawn. They disarmed the guard and set fire to five buses. Gatdula said police are trying to follow the theories that disgruntled employees or an insurance issue may be behind the torching. Earlier, investigators said they are checking records of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for labor disputes, and information that "older buses" had been torched before. On the other hand, Gatdula said the reported denial by the New People's Army (NPA) of involvement prompted them to relegate to the background the extortion theory, at least for now. Gatdula also admitted many of the drivers and guards in the garage had trouble identifying the suspects as the area was dark. "May follow-up operation tayo, tinitingnan natin ang dismissed employees (We are conducting follow-up operations and checking on some dismissed employees)," he said. Meanwhile, dzBB radio's Bernie Morales reported that security was doubled at the Victory Liner compound in Caloocan City as of Friday. The gate of the compound was closed, with security personnel guarding it on a 24-hour basis. Police visibility around the area was heightened, even as the bus firm's security personnel were stricter in restricting entry to the compound. - GMANews.TV