TACLOBAN CITY - Nine heavy equipment and a generator set with an estimated worth of P32 million were totally burned by armed men suspected to be members of the New People’s Army about 4:00 a.m. Friday (July 29) in Brgy. San Francisco, Las Navas, Northern Samar.
Las Navas Desk Officer on duty, PSSg Leonardo Dianeto, disclosed that an engineer of CDU Construction reported that some unidentified armed men went to their barracks and set the heavy equipment on fire without any reason. Some of the armed men pointed their guns at the workers who were called outside their barracks while they burned the equipment.
One of the armed men said, “Kay ano it nga ginpapahilapad niyo it kalye nga nakakaagi naman it mga scooter? Kay para liwat makadalidali pag-agi it tangke hit army?” (Why are you widening the road when scooters can pass on it? Is this also being widened for the military tanks to easily pass on it?)
The responding officers who went to the area, which is about 15.5 kilometers away from the town proper saw the damaged heavy equipment including a bulldozer, two backhoes, a loader, a dump truck, prime mover, crane, grader, road roller, and a welding generator set.
The equipment were being used for the construction of missing gaps connecting national roads, including the right of way to Arteche, Brgy. Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road, including a bridge and right of way, Package 1 in Northern Samar.
The project is set provide access to the interior barangays in Northern Samar province and faster delivery of agricultural products.
The Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office VIII – Construction Division were implementing the project through EZ Jones Construction, Inc. and CDU Construction.