DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur, Oct 29 (PIA) A military officer covering the province of Davao del Sur believed that all the harassments that occurred in this city several hours before the opening of the barangay election and the plebiscite for the creation of Davao Occidental Province were related to the polls.
Lt. Colonel Norman Zuniega, commanding officer of the 39th Infantry Battalion recalled that unidentified armed men opened fire on the barangay hall of Matti, Digos City 12:00 midnight on Saturday using an M203 grenade launcher wounding one Larry Remeus, a barangay watchmen.
He said that at exactly 1:00 am Sunday, unidentified perpetrators threw a hand grenade at the house of Prosecutors Tajon.
Prior to the grenade explosion, at 11:00 pm Saturday, two Molotov bombs were thrown in two separate school buildings in barangay Zone III.
Concerned citizens and a barangay watchman were able to put off the fire.
“Only one was wounded in the series of harassments,” Zuniega said.
He said all incidents might be election-related since they all happened at the eve of the polls.
Zuniega said on the case of Prosecutor Tajon, there might be individuals who are angry at him.
He said there was a delay in the response of the soldiers to these incidents given that they concentrate their attention on hinterland barangays.
“Incidentally, the series of harassments occurred in the city proper,” Zuniega said.
He said the soldiers are hard press to react even if the information reaching them needs verification.
Zuniega noted there was also a disinformation drive, where the soldiers had to react in order to satisfy the affected sectors.
He also belittled the capability of the rebels to conduct harassments in Davao del Sur during the elections as the military launched combat operations against them.
Zuniega said the presence of soldiers has driven away the rebels to the boundaries of Tulunan, Makilala in North Cotabato and Bansalan, Davao del Sur. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
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