NPA rebels cut down trees, burn truck in Agusan del Sur

BUTUAN CITY – About 50 heavily armed men, believed to be from the New People’s Army (NPA), swooped down on a palm oil plantation and chopped down palm oil trees and also burned a hauling truck in Area Basa, Phase 1, Block 2, Barangay Imelda, Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur province, according to a field report received Tuesday by the police regional headquarters here.

In his report to Chief Supt. Rolando B. Felix, regional director of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13), Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office (PPO) director Senior Supt. Joseph D. Plaza said the rebels cut down almost two hectares wide of palm oil trees owned by the Agusan Plantation Inc. (API) based in Barangay Manat, Trento, Agusan del Sur.

The perpetrators, reportedly members of guerilla-Front Committee 14 of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), also set an Isuzu dump truck on fire using gasoline, he said.

Plaza said the incident happened at 9 a.m. on July 30.

Initial investigation conducted by the Bunawan municipal police showed that the perpetrators led by certain “Commander Monic” arrived on foot from an unknown origin, and proceeded to cut fully grown palm oil trees using bolos, while also setting on fire the truck used for hauling.

After the incident, the perpetrators immediately fled to nearby Diwata range in Barangay Imelda, it said.