2 more ships attacked in Davao

DAVAO CITY — A group of unidentified armed men went again on a shooting spree last Friday night, firing at two more foreign cargo vessels docked at the Tadeco wharf in Panabo, Davao del Norte.

Authorities said the armed men were on board a white motorized banca and used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), as in similar incidents weeks ago.

Police believe the assaults could be the handiwork of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who have sought refuge in Southern Mindanao following hostilities with government forces in Cotabato and Maguin-danao.

Reports said the armed men fired at M/V James and M/V Almoria at about 11:45 p.m. Friday night, but failed to hit the vessels moored at the Tadeco wharf.

The grenades reportedly exploded about 10 meters away from the two vessels. The attackers fled toward Samal Island.

Last Oct. 10, unidentified armed men fired at a Jamaican vessel, M/V Mountain Forest, while it was docked at the wharf of the Mindanao Terminal Brokerage in Barangay Ilang in this city’s Tibungco district.

The incident was followed by another attack on Oct. 25 on another foreign vessel, M/V Aries, which was docked at the log pond of Alcantara and Sons Inc. (Alsons), a plywood manufacturing firm, in Barangay Lanang.

Authorities theorized that the attacks could also be the handiwork of certain groups who want to extort money from foreign vessels docking in different ports in Davao.

A multi-agency task force has been created to look into the incidents. — Edith Regalado