BRIEFS. interior

Man injured in dispute over cell phone tower

Community opposition to the installation of mobile phone antennas deteriorated into violence yesterday after three employees of the company responsible for the project assaulted a resident of Los Algarrobos neighborhood of Santiago, capital of the Veraguas province.

Juan Bourdett, 68, remains in under medical observation at Hospital Santo Tomás, where he is recovering from fractures to his face and body following the attack by the workers, who were subcontracted by Digicel.

Julio González, an attorney representing the community opposition group, said that Bourdett was one of many people in the area who were upset by the unauthorized movement of the company vehicles through front yards of local residences without permission.

Engineer Melanio Castillo, director of the company subcontracted by Digicel, claimed that the employees were only defending themselves from Bourdett, who allegedly approached them with a machete and damaged two company trucks.