Fire damages Mindanao university’s agri research center

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines — Fire gutted the administration building of the University of Southern Mindanao Agricultural Research Centerin Kabacan, North Cotabato, early Wednesday in the latest case of suspected arson at the institution.

Senior Fire Marshall Ibarahim Guiamalon, Kabacan fire chief, said the fire started in the office of the center’s director, Romulo Cena, on the second floor of the buildingUSMARC.

Guiamalon said the fire started at 12:53 a.m. and was put under control past 2 a.m.

No one was reported hurt. Damage was initially estimated at P3 to P4 million.

Guiamalon said arson investigators were still determining the exact cause of the fire and the people who might have been behind it.

USM President Dr. Francisco Gil Garcia said the fire did not affect the over-all operation of the university’s college of agriculture.

He ordered the transfer of USMARC personnel and facilities to other buildings on the campus.

Garcia appealed to all USM constituents to remain calm and to let the authorities do the investigation and find solutions. He also appealed to the students and faculty members to remain vigilant in the wake of a number of arson incidents.

Last Sunday, unidentified men tried to set the Department of Fisheries and Animal Science on fire by pouring gasoline on the building’s facade and lighting it, but workers managed to douse the flames immediately.

On February 13, the day Garcia assumed office as the new university president, a fragmentation grenade went off outside the motorpool building, causing minor damage.

Garcia replaced lawyer Christopher Cabilen,  who took over a officer in charge when  Dr. Jesus Dereje voluntarily stepped down as USM president “for the sake of the university” following a series of protests last year.

During Cabilen’s watch, normalcy reigned in the state university, which had been rocked by numerous protest demonstrations, many of which became violent, grenade explosions, and suspension of classes and even examinations last year.

Some of the protesters were aspirants to the top post and vowed to continue mass actions until Dereje left office.

Dereje was charged with various administrative charges by protesters opposed to his reappointment. The protests led to the suspension of classes for weeks.

Cabilen said Garcia earned seven votes from the 10-member USM Board of Regents under the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education.

Garcia vowed to pursue more reforms in the university to retain its image as Mindanao’s premier state university.

During protests against Dereje, the university was bit by a series of bombings, burning of school-owned vehicles and harassment of students who refused to join the protests.

Supt. Jordaine Maribojo, Kabacan police chief, said following the latest grenade throwing incident, arson attempt and Wednesday’s fire, police have been coordinating closely with the university security force to prevent any more incidents.

The people behind the latest incidents have not been identified or their motives established.

Garcia directed school security personnel to improve security inside and outside the campus.

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