Falling tree incident caused 4-hr power outage in Mindanao —military

The four-hour blackout that hit several provinces of Mindanao last Thursday was caused by a falling tree incident, which was allegedly intentionally done.

Hours into the power outage, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that a line tripped at 10:38 a.m., saying that a "grid disturbance" occurred and promised to investigate its cause.

Soldiers from the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Bernardo Taqueban, together with the NGVP personnel, made an investigation into the incident and found that a fallen acacia tree was the cause.

Several provinces in northwestern Mindanao, including the cities of Marawi, Iligan, Pagadian, and Zamboanga and nearby provinces went without power from 10:38 a.m. to 2 p.m.

NGCP inpection showed that Phase BC of the transmission line was affected when a cutoff acacia tree fell on power cables between Tower 30 and Tower 31.

A text message sent to GMA News Online by a military official who requested anonymity alleged that the big acacia tree was intentionally cut off.

Further investigation into the matter is ongoing, Taqueban said. —Mariz Revales/LBG, GMA News