LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, (PNA)–Five unidentified armed men barged inside the terminal of Five Star Bus Company in Barangay Tempra Guilig in San Fabian town at about 6:50 p.m. on Oct. 4 where they burned two parked buses, the Police Provincial Office (PPO) in Pangasinan reported on Sunday.
Initial investigation said the suspects armed with short firearms carried four plastic containers believed filled with gasoline which they poured on two parked buses inside the terminal after disarming the lone security guard on duty named Bernardo Gombio, 42, of Barangay Pogo, Mangaldan.
One of the suspects reportedly uttered in Tagalog: “Hindi ka kasali dito kaya huwag ka nang pumalag (You are not involved here, so do not resist)” .
While two suspects held the security guard at bay with their pistols, the other suspects set on fire the two parked buses with Plate Numbers AVY 557 and UVP 698.
The first bus had its front portion partially burned while the window glass of the second bus was broken, the PPO reported.
The suspects immediately left the place on board two motorcycles bound for the north direction.
Crime scene processing was conducted by Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) from Lingayen led by Senior Inspector Emeterio Macaraeg and the Bureau of Fire Protection personnel of San Fabian led by SFO2 Romeo Mametag.
Recovered from the scene were four severely burned plastic containers that allegedly contained gasoline, including one lighter from the crime scene.
Dragnet operation was immediately conducted by the police and also coordinated with adjacent police stations for the possible apprehension of the fleeing suspects.
An in-depth investigation into the incident is now being undertaken by the police.