70 NPA rebs raid agri firm
CAGAYAN DE ORO - Around 70 suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) raided on Sunday afternoon (October 8) an agribusiness firm at Sitio Rang-Ay, Barangay Mirangiran, Quezon, Bukidnon province.
Captain Norman Tagros, 403rd Infantry Brigade civic military operations officer, said the rebels torched the equipment of the agriculture firm, such as boom harvester, two nurse trucks, a generator set, and a boom truck that the rebels used as a getaway vehicle.
The torched truck was later found in Barangay Lumintao, Quezon.
Tagros said the rebels also stole from the security guards a shot gun and a 9mm pistol.
"Naay firefight na nahitabo kay at first, nisukol man ang guards, pero
nag-withdraw ra gihapon atong guards kay medyo dili makaya kay daghan gyud ang NPA (A firefight happened. The guards fought back but gave up knowing there were many NPA members)," Tagros said.
The guards were however safe, he added.
According to a statement sent to the media, the rebels belonged to the NPA’s South Central Bukidnon-Sub Regional Command was responsible for the attack.
The NPA said their target was the security agency of the Del Monte Philippines Incorporated.
The rebels claimed to have carted away 15 high-powered firearms including 12 M16 rifle, 1 sniper's rifle, 1 M14 rifle, 3 .45 caliber pistols, 1 9mm pistol, and 4 shotguns.
Tagros, meanwhile, decried the incident, pointing out that the rebels violated the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, to which they are a signatory. SS-CDO