Extortion eyed in attack vs soldiers, NGCP crew

MARAWI CITY, Philippines — The military is eyeing extortion as a possible motive for the attack against soldiers and linemen of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) last Sept. 28 in Buadiposo-Buntong town in Lanao del Sur.

Brigadier General Jose Maria Cuerpo, commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, said the NGCP linemen were conducting regular inspection of transmission towers when they were attacked.

The soldiers were escorting the NGCP crew.

Eight soldiers and two linemen were injured after a grenade explosion at Tower 52 located in a forested area some 20 kilometers away from a road.

Cuerpo said they suspected that the motive of the explosion was extortion by armed groups in the area.

Cuerpo explained that because it was a regular inspection, the suspects knew the soldiers and linemen were coming.