PNP, AFP bare conflicting info on presence of armed men in Carles
Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have conflicting information with regard to the reported presence of armed men in Barangay Punta Lanot, Carles, Iloilo.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 regional director Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay Sr. yesterday said the armed men reported in the area were not members of Muslim extremists Abu Sayaff as earlier reported by Capt. Lowen Gil Marquez of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Civil Relations Group but were workers of a certain fishpond owner.
Dulay said information reaching his office revealed that there is an ensuing land dispute between the fishpond operator and his rival in said area reason for the alleged deployment of armed men.
He already ordered the neutralization of the said armed groups through the Regional Mobile Group assigned in the fifth district of Iloilo.
Marquez earlier reported that they received validated information relative to the presence of armed men believed to have links with the Abu Sayaff or the Pentagon group planning to sow terror in Iloilo and possibly the resort island of Boracay in Aklan.
Marquez said the armed men were Cebuano-speaking and were new in the area.
Dulay clarified that information reaching Marquez is not accurate.
He said, he had the report validated by the chief of police of Carles PNP Senior Insp. Vicente Lamsis and it turned out negative.
Earlier, the punong barangay of Brgy. Punta Lanot asked the help of a radio station to bring to the attention of authorities the presence of suspicious armed men in their barangay.
Brgy. Capt. Nody Pantillo said he was alarmed by the presence of said armed men as they were not from Carles.
He learned that the group only sought shelter with a fishpond caretaker identified only as Taculing. Taculing, reportedly, came from Mindanao raising suspicions that the armed men who took refuge in Carles could be members of the Abu Sayyaf.
Pantillo said he fears that the armed men will sow terror in the their place and hamper the daily lives of the residents.