'NPA' torches firm's dump trucks in Zamboanga del Sur

The armed men, suspected to be members of the NPA, torched equipment of a construction company.

Philippines — Heavily-armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army torched heavy equipment of a construction firm Sunday night in Dumingag town, Zamboanga del Sur.

 

Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, regional police director, said the attack happened in Purok 1, Barangay Licabang about 8:30 p.m.

 

Beltran said reports from Dumingag police said the armed attackers surrounded the bunkhouse of Ramona Construction and poured gasoline on three dump trucks and other heavy equipment.

 

These were set on fire but only the three dump truck units were destroyed as the fire went out before it consumes the rest of the equipment. Damage to property was estimated to be P3 million.

 

Chief Inspector Edgar Hinoctan, Dumingag police chief, backed by police and by troops from the 53rd Infantry Battalion responded but failed to catch up with suspected rebels.

 

Beltran urged residents to help watch out for the presence of the rebels and alert security forces when they are spotted.

 

The NPA has been blamed for attacks on firms, where heavy equipment often end up in flames. President Rodrigo Duterte last week said that the government will no longer negotiate with the NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines until "extortion" — the rebels call it collecting revolutionary taxes — stops.