|
By Anthony Bayarong, Correspondent
MASINLOC, Zambales: Armed men led by Ret. Army
Gen. Jovito Palparan forcibly took over a seaport in Barangay
Baluganon early morning Tuesday.
The security guards said that around 6:30 a.m.
Tuesday while drinking their usual morning coffee they were
surprised to see a group of uniformed men accost them shouting, “Dapa!”
Refusing to identify themselves for fear of
possible recrimination, security guards in the compound recognized
Gen. Palparan as the one who led some 50 personnel from the 24th
Infantry Battalaion based in Nueva Ecija, along with members of the
CIDG and several plain-clothes persons with side arms.
“Fully armed sila at tinutukan kami ng baril,
so wala na kaming magawa, Siya (Palparan) mismo ang kumakausap sa
amin, sinabihan pa nga ako na ano ang ginagawa mo dito sa Zambales,
umalis ka na dito [They were all fully armed and even pointed their
guns on us, so we couldn’t do anything. It was Gen. Palparan
himself who addressed us, he even asked me what I was doing in
Zambales, and told me I should leave this place],” recalled one
guard.
The employees added that the armed men took
their issued firearms, cellular phones and wallets containing cash.
Another security guard told The Manila Times
that he had P36,000 in his wallet for the salary of his fellow
security guards but the armed men took it away together with his
wallet and cellphone.
“Tinatadyankan pa nga nila yung ibang
kasamahan ko habang kinakausap, bawal din silang tignan at
pinagkukuhanan nila kami ng litrato [They treated us roughly, even
kicking our other companions while talking to them, and we were not
supposed to look at them although someone was taking photographs of
us],” he added.
A Manila Times source said Palparan and his
group were allegedly hired by a certain State Invest to secure a
part of the port which is currently occupied by Coco Mining Inc.
Apparently, said the source, a company currently
enjoying preferential treatment from the Philippine Port Authority
has availed of the services of the retired army general to take over
a foreclosed portion of the port from the CocoMining management.
Also, the said company has partnered with a certain Chinese
investor, and is expected to take over the management of the said
portion of Masinloc.
He likewise mentioned a certain Padpao Security
Agency as having provided personnel to man the gates, as even media
has been banned from entering the site.
Benguet Corp. meanwhile told The Manila Times
that they still have authority over the port in Masinloc.
In a text message, Senior Vice President
for Legal Issues of Benguet Corp., Lawyer Reynaldo Mendoza said the
company still has authority over the port on a holdover capacity
since the PPA has not informed them that their management has been
terminated.
He added that Benguet Corp. is still paying
rental to PPA and that the process of asset liquidation of the port
is not yet finished. “It isn’t true that the port has ceased to
operate since we continue to ship out the chromate we produce,” he
said, adding that there is a ship currently being loaded at the
port.
Zambales Provincial Police office led by Senior
Superintendent Rolando Felix arrived at the port 11:00 am Wednesday,
forcing their way inside and afterwards holding a dialogue with
Palparan and his men.
Negotiation between Felix and Palparan were set
in the afternoon.
|
