Kidapawan — The vehicle of broadcaster and journalist Erik Dugaduga nearly caught fire on Friday morning, September 12, in an incident that is now being investigated by authorities, with politics among the possible motives being considered.
Initial information indicated that the vehicle suddenly caught fire while Dugaduga was using it. People in the area quickly responded and helped put out the flames, preventing the fire from spreading and potentially causing more extensive damage.
No final determination has been made on what caused the fire, and authorities have yet to establish whether it was accidental, deliberate, or connected to any particular individual or group.
Dugaduga later expressed his gratitude to the residents and other people who immediately came to his aid during the incident.
The development comes just days after Dugaduga became the subject of political controversy over statements he allegedly made criticizing the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and one of its candidates, Mansor Ebrahim, ahead of the September 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections.
On September 10, supporters of the UBJP accused Dugaduga of making allegedly defamatory and offensive statements against the party and its candidate and raised the possibility of filing a cyber libel complaint. They also questioned whether the radio station where Dugaduga works could face regulatory consequences over the statements.
Those accusations, however, remain allegations unless and until established through proper legal proceedings. Any potential cyber libel complaint would have to be evaluated by prosecutors and, ultimately, the courts based on the evidence and the specific statements involved.
UBJP party nominee and MP Atty. Lanang Ali Jr. said the party’s credibility would not be affected by attacks and criticism circulating on social media. He suggested that the timing of the controversy was connected to the approaching parliamentary elections.
Ali also maintained that the UBJP and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would not easily be discredited, saying the party’s objectives were directed toward the Bangsamoro population.
According to Ali, lawyers had already taken steps toward filing a case against the broadcaster and said legal proceedings could move forward against Dugaduga and other individuals allegedly involved in the online attacks.
The political controversy has now taken on a more serious dimension following the vehicle-fire incident.
The fact that politics is being considered as a possible motive does not, by itself, establish that the fire was politically motivated. Investigators will need to determine the physical cause of the fire, examine the vehicle and surrounding circumstances, identify possible witnesses and, if warranted, establish whether there was evidence of intentional damage.
The incident also underscores the heightened tensions surrounding the final days of campaigning for the September 14 BARMM Parliamentary Elections, when political disputes and accusations can quickly spread through traditional and social media.
Authorities are expected to determine whether the vehicle fire was an accident, a criminal act, or an incident unrelated to Dugaduga’s political and media activities.
Until investigators release verified findings, no individual or political group should be blamed for the incident without evidence.
The investigation into the fire remains ongoing.