Insurance angle eyed in Victory bus burning
Quezon City police are looking into the possibility of insurance fraud in the burning Wednesday night of a Victory Liner bus.
In a press conference in Camp Crame Friday, Quezon City Police District chief Senior Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula stressed they were exploring all angles in the investigation of the case.
He said the police also had not completely dismissed the possibility that the crime was committed by a group trying to extort money from the company, or that some disgruntled employees were involved.
But the QCPD ruled out the involvement of communist rebels.
Gatdula said they were puzzled by the “non-cooperation” of the bus company management.
‘Secretive by nature’
“We were told management was secretive by nature, so we are having a hard time investigating the case. Every time we see a development in the case, company officials just shrug their shoulders and say: ‘Insurance will take care of that,’” Gatdula said.
He said the police were also puzzled why buses parked at the back of the company garage in Cubao were targeted instead of the newer vehicles in front.
Gatdula said old buses of the company had also been burned at an average of three in areas outside Metro Manila, like Region 3.
He added, however, that they had not received any report of an extortion attempt.
The police official cited the lack of security in the garage, adding that security agencies, as well as the companies themselves, should be held responsible for negligence if crimes occur in their premises.
Gatdula said the Victory Liner garage was improperly guarded and poorly lit.
In eliminating the NPA angle, Gatdula said that if the group was responsible, “they should have made an announcement on their website.”
Supt. Franklin Moises Mabanag of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit said the company did not receive any extortion or demand letters from communist guerillas.
Still, “we’re not completely abandoning that very minute possibility,” he told the Inquirer.
At least 10 unidentified armed men barged into the Victory Liner parking lot in Barangay Pinagkaisahan around 11:15 p.m. and set on fire one of the parked buses.
5 other buses
Five other buses were partly damaged in the attack. The men disarmed the lone watchman before fleeing on a van without a license plate.
Mabanag said they were closely reviewing at least eight labor-related cases against the company in Zambales and Metro Manila.
He said they requested a list of recently dismissed employees from the firm. Some drivers and conductors were reported to be also disgruntled because of strict company regulations, he added.
Mabanag said they would look into the possibility that Wednesday’s attack was related to past incidents where Victory Liner buses were torched.
Gatdula said that so far, none of the top officials of the company had given a statement to investigators. By Alcuin Papa, Marlon Ramos - Philippine Daily Inquirer
In a press conference in Camp Crame Friday, Quezon City Police District chief Senior Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula stressed they were exploring all angles in the investigation of the case.
He said the police also had not completely dismissed the possibility that the crime was committed by a group trying to extort money from the company, or that some disgruntled employees were involved.
But the QCPD ruled out the involvement of communist rebels.
Gatdula said they were puzzled by the “non-cooperation” of the bus company management.
‘Secretive by nature’
“We were told management was secretive by nature, so we are having a hard time investigating the case. Every time we see a development in the case, company officials just shrug their shoulders and say: ‘Insurance will take care of that,’” Gatdula said.
He said the police were also puzzled why buses parked at the back of the company garage in Cubao were targeted instead of the newer vehicles in front.
Gatdula said old buses of the company had also been burned at an average of three in areas outside Metro Manila, like Region 3.
He added, however, that they had not received any report of an extortion attempt.
The police official cited the lack of security in the garage, adding that security agencies, as well as the companies themselves, should be held responsible for negligence if crimes occur in their premises.
Gatdula said the Victory Liner garage was improperly guarded and poorly lit.
In eliminating the NPA angle, Gatdula said that if the group was responsible, “they should have made an announcement on their website.”
Supt. Franklin Moises Mabanag of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit said the company did not receive any extortion or demand letters from communist guerillas.
Still, “we’re not completely abandoning that very minute possibility,” he told the Inquirer.
At least 10 unidentified armed men barged into the Victory Liner parking lot in Barangay Pinagkaisahan around 11:15 p.m. and set on fire one of the parked buses.
5 other buses
Five other buses were partly damaged in the attack. The men disarmed the lone watchman before fleeing on a van without a license plate.
Mabanag said they were closely reviewing at least eight labor-related cases against the company in Zambales and Metro Manila.
He said they requested a list of recently dismissed employees from the firm. Some drivers and conductors were reported to be also disgruntled because of strict company regulations, he added.
Mabanag said they would look into the possibility that Wednesday’s attack was related to past incidents where Victory Liner buses were torched.
Gatdula said that so far, none of the top officials of the company had given a statement to investigators. By Alcuin Papa, Marlon Ramos - Philippine Daily Inquirer
Labels: bus, Olongapo City, Victory Liner
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