At least 1 dead, 5 hurt in Bacoor clearing operation; CHR investigates

At least one person died and five were injured during a clearing operation in Bacoor City, Cavite on Tuesday, Bacoor Police chief Colonel Vicente Cabatingan said, according to a report by Mao Dela Cruz on Super Radyo dzBB.

FLASH REPORT: Isa ang patay habang 5 ang sugatan sa naganap na clearing operation na unang iniulat na demolition sa Malipay III, Molino IV sa Bacoor City, Cavite. pic.twitter.com/6AkZ2Fm9xT

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 18, 2019

The clearing operation occurred in Sitio Malipay III in Barangay Molino IV. The fatality was a security guard who was stabbed, Cabatingan told reporters.

The security guard's companion was among those hurt.

The injured were brought to three hospitals in Muntinlupa and Cavite.

Police clarified that a developer conducted the clearing operation, and that it was not a demolition. There was a scheduled demolition but what happened on Tuesday was a clearing operation, they said.

A misunderstanding arose, leading to tension with residents.

Around 2,000 families were affected in the operation, the dzBB report said, quoting Atin Ang Malipay movement chair Glory Vitalicio.

A bulldozer and a group of security personnel arrived in the area to start the clearing operation early Tuesday morning at around 3:30 a.m.

At least four people were hurt after tension arose around 8 a.m. Some residents said they heard gunshots during the commotion.

Cabatingan claimed that five of the security personnel were behind those gunshots. Cabatingan said they already brought them to the police station.

“Ginagawa na ang papel para masampahan ng kaso,” he said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

The police eventually controlled the situation.

Police investigators look for evidence near a damaged van and a backhoe where about 50 security agency personnel allegedly forcefully tried to demolish some shanties in Malibay 3 and 4, Bacoor, Cavite on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. The residents resisted resulting to one death and several wounded. Danny Pata

The Commission on Human Rights has started an investigation into the incident.

UPDATE: Commission on Human Rights, nag-iimbestiga na sa naganap na demolisyon sa Malipay III, Molino IV sa Bacoor City, Cavite. | via Mao dela Cruz

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 18, 2019

—Joviland Rita/KG/BM, GMA News