4 men charged with arson for burning PCOS machine

BONTOC, Mountain Province– Police authorities here revealed Monday arson charges were filed against four men allegedly responsible for burning a precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine and other election paraphernalia in Barangay Apalis, Bonot, Paracelis, a day after the elections.

Chief Supt. Villamor A. Bumanglag, Cordillera Region police director identified the accused as Ramos Dangasen, Jose Dakiwag, Nestor Dangangao and Mario Adawe, all of legal age and residents of Sitio
Pilak, Bonot.

Police investigation showed before the burning of the PCOS machine and election paraphernalia, the board of election inspectors and PCOS technician were invited for breakfast by one of the residents living near the Apalis Elementary School leaving a certain SPO1 Anselmo Gannisi and other civilians to guard the machine.

After about half an hour, the BEI members and the PCOS technician returned to the canvassing center and told the police officer to take his meal while waiting for the vehicle scheduled to transport the device and election paraphernalia to the municipal board of canvassers.

But Gannisi was reported as saying to the BEI members and the PCOS technician some men got the PCOS machine.

Residents said Gannisi should be charged for negligence or complicity in the burning of the machine if he could not tell exactly what happened after this was allegedly taken by the suspects.

Apalis, with a voting population of 148 could have had a significant implication in the congressional race of the province.

A report from Mountain Province police director Supt. Fortunato Albas earlier said “efforts are being exerted to validate intelligence reports disclosing that Clarence Dalog, one of the sons of Gov. Maximo Dalog (now congressman-elect) was implicated in the burning of the PCOS machine.”

Albas said “in the absence of incriminating pieces of evidence which could pinpoint the real orchestrator of the crime, it is not farfetched that greed for political power is the most probable motive behind the crime. In as much as the political contest is very close for the contending parties, one resorts to violence in order to ensure his success no matter how wicked the results may impose on the part of the victims.” – With a report from Dexter A. See