NPA REBELS ATTACK RIZAL QUARRY SITE

Communist rebels have owned up responsibility for the Sunday raid of a quarry site in San Mateo town, Rizal, which it said was responsible for environmental destruction and the massive floods in the province.

About 20 suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels attacked the site run by Monte Rock Corp. in Barangay Guitnang Bayan on Sunday night. They claimed setting on fire eight trucks, four backhoes, bulldozers and loaders, and disarming the firm’s security guards during the two-hour raid on the company’s compound.

This happened as San Mateo, one of the worst-hit by the recent monsoon rains, continued to suffer from flooding.

In a statement on Tuesday, the NPA’s Narciso Antazo Aramil Command-Rizal said rebels “punished” the company for years of quarrying Rizal’s mountain ranges that resulted in floods in San Mateo and Marikina City.

“This was to give justice to the people and to call for the preservation of the environment. Let this serve as a warning to all companies responsible for the destruction of natural resources in Rizal,” the rebel group said.

Supt. Vic Amante, San Mateo police chief, said 12 vehicles and office equipment were destroyed during the attack.

Amante said they could not determine the amount of losses because the firm refused to cooperate with the police.