Authorities provided police security to Bishop Antonio Palang, a priest and a nun in Occidental Mindoro following the burning of a Church-run radio station in San Jose City last week.
The Church officials have expressed fear that those behind the fire at the facilities of dzVT station might harm them next as investigation has zeroed in on “internal” church matters. They claimed to have received threats even before the fire from a dismissed employee, Chief Superintendent Artemio Hicban, police regional chief of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), said on Monday.
“We learned that an employee was fired recently due to (irregularities found when) an internal audit (of the Church funds) was conducted. This employee threatened to burn down the station,” Hicban said, without elaborating.
Facilities of the dzVT, a member of the Catholic Media Network, in Barangay (village) Labangan and Bishop Palang’s office in nearby Barangay Labang were razed in a fire on October 26. Damage was placed at P10 million.
An attempt to burn down the station also took place on October 20.
Senior Superintendent Michael Baysa, Occidental Mindoro police director, said investigators were close to identifying the suspects. He ruled out the involvement of local government officials and rebel groups.
“(The suspects) were sending out text messages to the media claiming that they were members of the NPA (New People’s Army) to divert the course of our investigation. Don’t believe these,” he said.
Baysa noted that there were no signs of forced entry into the burned bishop’s office that was sealed with two large heavy doors and a double lock.