San Isidro Globe cell site fire not rebel operation

There is no doubt that there was arson in the July 4 burning of the Globe cell site in Poblacion, San Isidro but the police still does not know who did it. “Based on our findings, it was really arson,” said Insp. Samuel Gabuya, San Isidro PNP chief. Gabuya said they are pursuing several angles on the burning but declined to elaborate who was behind the burning, the third attack on a Globe cell site in Bohol .

The previous attacks were in Loon town on Oct. 23, 2002 and Tagbilaran City last Sept. 25, 2005. “We cannot really cannot say (how many angles),” Gabuya said in Cebuano. While he refused to rule out the possible involvement of the communist New People's Army (NPA), Gabuya appeared more interested in other angles. “It is not the usual modus,” the police chief noted.

Gabuya pointed out that the suspect or suspects used only bamboo sticks and a rag dipped in kerosene in setting fire to the cable wires. The suspect gained entrance into the facility through an opening under a post securing the interlink fence. “It looks that way,” Gabuya replied when asked if the suspect was familiar with the place. The police chief noted that the opening, big enough for an adult to squeeze through, was due to the removal of a big stone under the GI pipes below the fence.

He also pointed out that there have been no sightings of suspicious armed men and no threats received from the rebel underground in San Isidro. “I talked to the mayor and he said he has not received any report about (rebel demands or threats),” Gabuya added.

The Post tried to arrange for an interview with San Isidro Mayor Requillo Samuya over his mobile phone but he was still indisposed. Gabuya, who was detailed in San Isidro six months ago, said he did not know of any insurgency-related incident for the duration of his stint. He refused to comment on reports that the burning was an offshoot of a land dispute. The arson was discovered at 4 Tuesday dawn by the caretaker identified as Bartolome Alidon, 44 although the burning might have occurred as early as 9 pm Monday.

Gabuya corrected initial reports that the panel board was destroyed saying only the cable wires were gutted by the fire when the outer plastic covering melted. He said a team sent by the Globe management which visited the site Tuesday noon placed the rough estimate of the damaged cable wires at P100,000. The cell site has no security guard after the services of the last one was discontinued. Gabuya said Alidon, who lives near the cell site, was hired as caretaker less than a month ago. He merely visits it to switch the lights on and off, leaving it unguarded most of the time.

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