1 killed, 7 injured in Zambo land dispute

ZAMBOANGA CITY – One person was killed and seven others injured when residents of Purok 3A in Barangay (village) Recodo clashed with security guards of Dacon Plywood Co. shortly before noon Saturday.

The fatality was identified as Habudding Hamja, 19, who residents said was not even directly involved in the dispute between a group of residents and the owners of the plywood company. It was not clear how Hamja was killed.

The incident started when residents, who had long accused Dacon of land grabbing, protested the company’s act of erecting fence on disputed property.

Tony Catolico, a Dacon official, said their people were just defending themselves because the residents had been harassing them.

“They threw grenades and stones,” Catolico said.

He identified six of the wounded workers as Elmer Tadeo, Aristob Saratao, John Ray Maghanoy, Erico Menor, Robert Glog and Loreto Morales.

Joselito Baginda, another wounded Dacon worker, said most of the injuries sustained by his companions were caused by shrapnel.

Jamina Ambuting, one of the protesting residents, said Dacon guards fired at them while they tried to prevent the fencing activities of the company.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, the Zamboanga City police chief, said investigators found out that two grenades exploded at the height of the melee.

“The grenades came from one of the houses, which is about 129 meters away from the detachment of Dacon,” Casimiro said.

To prevent similar incidents from arising in the future, Casimiro said a dialogue should be conducted between the residents and the company.

But he said that should come later after everyone has calmed down.

“We cannot penetrate the interior area, residents are a bit hostile,” he said.