Reds torch Masbate firm’s quarters, heavy equipment

MASBATE CITY — The Armed Forces’ Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) has deployed two Army companies to this island-province after New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas torched the quarters and heavy equipment of a construction company in Aroroy town last Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko, Solcom commander, said about 50 rebels armed with M-16 and M-14 rifles swooped down on the compound of the Precious Construction firm in Barangay Luy-a at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, and burned the company’s two barracks and heavy machinery, including a payloader, two dumptrucks, a forward truck and a so-called "dynapace."

The damage was placed at P7 million.

Kyamko said the company’s owner, a certain Salvador Señar, of Camarines Norte, had reportedly ignored the NPA’s demand for "revolutionary tax."

"There’s no more ideology here but plain and simple banditry to harass investors who would like to develop the gold industry of Masbate," Kyamko said.

He said the two companies from the General Headquarters will be backed by a Simba and V150 armored vehicles.

Elements of the 5th and 506th Provincial Mobile Groups are also pursuing the rebels.

The military said the NPA has 112 regulars and 80 party members, armed with 89 high-powered firearms and 19 handguns, and 12,000 organized mass base supporters in Masbate.

Maj. Jose Broso, head of the military’s Civil Relations Service, said the NPA has been engaging in large-scale extortion of rich businessmen, construction and shipping firms, small-scale entrepreneurs, politicians and local government officials.

Broso said the rebels employ couriers to collect "revolutionary taxes," thus making it difficult to crack down on their extortion activities.

He said five percent of the internal revenue allotments of barangays go to the rebels, while public school teachers in "NPA-influenced" communities have to "donate" about P30 a month to the underground movement.

Owners of ranches and coconut plantations, on the other hand, are being forced to shell out at least 10 percent of their gross income or a fixed monthly amount based on their perceived total income, Broso said.