LP HQ fire orchestrated: Mastura

Ferdinandh Cabrera

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Mastura denies his camp would resort to dirty tactics to win the elections

ASHES OF A CAMPAIGN. The aftermath of the fire on the Liberal Party headquarters in Sultan Kudarat. Photo by Jeoffrey Maitem

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – “An orchestrated scenario to discredit me and my party.” This is the response of Mayor Datu Tucao Mastura, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) provincial chairman who is running against incumbent governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu of Maguindanao, regarding the Liberal Party headquarters fire in Sultan Kudarat on the evening of Wednesday, May 1.

In an interview with Mastura on Thursday morning, May 2, he accused the rival camp of fabricating a drama.

“Earlier I had coordinated with the 37th Infantry Battalion and local police to provide security in this small headquarters of Liberal Party in my town. Pinabantayan ko ito dahil alam ko na magiging drama ito, na kung hindi susunugin ay lagyan ng bomba para sabihin na may kinalaman kami (I had it guarded because I knew that there would be drama, and if someone didn’t burn it down, someone could put a bomb there and say that we played a part in it),” Mastura stressed.

The headquarters of the Liberal Party in this area is a few meters away from a Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) detachment securing Quirino Bridge.

Mastura said he had a letter request to the local police station and text messages to the head of 37th infantry battalion commander about his earlier concern.

He appealed to his rival camp to just focus on election campaigns and not endure on scenario making. He is confident the support showed to him, referring to the huge crowd during his previous rally in the town of Datu Paglas regarding the Bangsamoro Framework, will bring him to victory.

Sino ba ang malakas na kandidato na gagawa ng ganung masama na alam na niyang mananalo na siya (What sort of candidate would do something so horrible when he knows he’s going to win)?” Mastura asked.

Mastura said he had no knowledge of the threats received by a certain Ressie Torres, who was the owner of house rented by the Liberal Party. Said Mastura, “Maybe the people in the area knew better about her; I was just told she is a midwife and a former OFW.”

INSPECTING THE SCENE. Fire marshals inspect the razed headquarters of the Liberal Party in Sultan Kudarat. Photo by Jeoffrey Maitem

Mastura denied his camp would do dirty tactics to threaten others.

Earlier, Torres complained to the local police of Sultan Kudarat about the threats she received from armed men that stemmed from the rental of his house for the Liberal party.

In an interview with Cotabato radio station DXMS, Chief Inspector Robert Papa said, “Yes, it is in the record. We have a blotter report about her threat complaints, but she did not mention her house will be burned,” the town police chief said.

Police are also digging into a separate investigation to get further details and shed light on what happened.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection of Sultan Kudarat will conduct a thorough investigation to complete their report. “Our initial (findings) is the fire… started at the house of certain Ressie Torres. We will continue our investigation today. It was too dark last night due to power outage brought by this conflagration incident,” according to Senior Fire Officer Mujahineen Gampon.

At least P100,000 in estimated damages was reported, with another two houses gutted down when the fire started to eat the Liberal Party headquarters in Barangay Bulalo. – Rappler.com

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