DIPOLOG CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 21, 2013) – Communist rebels torched construction equipment in a raid in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga del Norte, an army spokesman said.
Captain Jefferson Somera, of the 1st Infantry Division, said about 15 New People’s Army rebels raided the village of Titik in the town of Sindangan. He said there was no report of casualties in the attack.
He said the equipment is owned by the ESR Construction Company which is working on a government road project in the province.
Police said among the raiders were four women and that the attack was triggered by the failure of the firm owner, Edmario Sandalo Revelo to pay so-called revolutionary taxes to the rebel group.
“Before the incident there were negotiations on the matter, but unintentionally the rebel group noticed a team of army patrolling in the area and believed that the contractor reported to the team of army prompting them to burn the heavy equipment,” said Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman.
“Prior to the incident, the (NPA) group had asked for medicines to the contractor that would be dropped at Josefina (town) in Zamboanga Del Sur at night time near the Saint Claire monastery,” he added.
There was no immediate statement from the NPA about the raid, but the rebels have been waging a secessionist war the past decades. (Mindanao Examiner)
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