Rebels torch dump truck in North Cotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – Communist rebels on Wednesday commandeered in Tulunan town and torched a dump truck filled with sand and gravel.

Senior Inspector Ronnie Cordero, Tulunan municipal police chief, said two men disguised as hitchhikers forcibly took the dump truck from its driver, Leoncio de Vera, in Barangay La Esperanza.

Cordero said the truck was supposed to deliver its cargo of about five cubic meters of mixed fine sand and gravel from Datu Paglas, Maguindanao to the newly-constructed airport in M'lang town, also in North Cotabato.

Pursuing policemen and barangay officials found the burnt dump truck in another barangay not far from the spot where it was taken by two men armed with handguns.

Investigators still have no clue of the identities of the two rebels.