Phil. Daily Inquirer, Dec. 26, 2005
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- Three men believed to be government soldiers burned the women's dormitory of a Catholic church's training institute in Baler town, Aurora province on Christmas Day, reports received by the Inquirer said.
Alfonso van Zijl, executive director of the Bataris (Bahay Talakayan para sa Rekonstruksyon at Ikauunlad ng Sambayanan) based in Barangay Buhangin, said the fire that broke out at about 4 a.m. destroyed the institute's wooden sleeping quarters and burned two motorcycles. He estimated the losses at almost P1 million.
Van Zijl, in a phone interview, said the suspects also poured gasoline on the main training center and men's dormitory but the fire that hit those facilities was put out by Bataris personnel, neighbors and firemen.
No one was inside the one-hectare compound during the fire as personnel went on a Christmas vacation, he said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection in Baler reported recovering an empty plastic container, a plastic bag and steel cutter at the compound.
Van Zijl said several witnesses saw the suspects and heard them tell each other "Bilis, bilis (Hurry, hurry)" before fleeing toward an alley at the back of the compound. The suspects left on board a tricycle.
"Clearly, this is arson in every sense and because of it, we lost an important facility. That makes this a sad Christmas for us at the institute," said Van Zijl, a Dutch lay missionary.
Founded in 1987, Bataris has served as an alternative learning center for lay people. Bishop Emeritus Julio Xavier Labayen of the Prelature of Infanta chairs the board of trustees.
Van Zijl said he suspected that members of the Army's 48th Infantry Battalion were behind the arson.
Lieutenant Colonel Joselito Kakilala, 48th IB commander, said he was not aware of the fire.
"I will have the incident investigated," he said in a text message to the Inquirer.
The incident came after the 48th IB, through streamers it put up in nearby San Luis town, tagged Bataris, the Justice and Peace Action Group, Multi-Sectoral Action Group and the party-list groups Bayan Muna and Anakpawis as "terrorists" and "fronts" of the New People's Army.
