DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 11, 2013) – Communist insurgents raided a construction firm on Wednesday and torched various equipment in the town of Alabel in Sarangani province in southern Philippines, officials said.
Officials said at least 8 New People’s Army rebels were involved in the attack on Vicente Lao Construction in the village of Bagacay.
The insurgents burned heavy equipment backhoe used in road construction project in the village. The rebels also ransacked the office before fleeing to the hills.
“This is very disheartening to the community who are the direct beneficiaries of the road construction project. Burning down the equipment is simply derailing the project which will further delay the entry of basic services of the local government units and stalls economic development in far-flung communities. Contrary to their propaganda that they are pro-poor, this incident clearly manifests that the NPAs are anti-people and anti-development,” Lt. Col. Shalimar Imperial, commander of 27th Infantry Battalion, said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
The insurgents are fighting for a separate communist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)
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