P1M in equipment of solon’s firm torched in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY—Unidentified men torched P1 million worth of heavy equipment owned by a construction firm of Ako Bicol Rep. Christopher Co in Sto. Domingo town in Albay, according to police.

Supt. Renato Bataller, Bicol police spokesperson, said three unidentified men poured gasoline and set fire to a backhoe parked near the sand and gravel crushing site of Hitone Construction Inc. in Purok 1, Barangay Lidong, in Sto. Domingo at around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 3.

Bataller said police learned of the attack from an employee of the construction firm, Erwin Hernandez, 39, who rushed to the town’s police station to report it.

Bataller said police could not yet link the attack to the New People’s Army (NPA).

Co is the brother of Elizaldy Co, owner of  Sunwest Construction, which lost P100 million worth of pieces of heavy equipment in previous NPA attacks. Mar Arguelles, Inquirer Southern Luzon