NPAs torch equipment of 2 firms in Davao, Butuan

DAVAO CITY — New People’s Army rebels raided a mining firm and burned its heavy equipment in Banay-Banay, Davao Oriental last Wednesday, the military said.

Army Maj. Jose Ma. Cuerpo, of the Armed Forces’ 5th Civil Relations Group, said the rebels torched the heavy equipment of Heritage Resource and Development Corp. (HRDC) which operates in the town.

A certain Ka Benjie of the Sub-District Guerrilla-18, Front Committee 18 of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee reportedly led the attackers.

Cuerpo said the mining firm had refused to give in to the insurgents’ extortion demands.

Communist guerrillas also swooped down and torched the equipment of a construction company in Butuan City Thursday night.

The military said 20 rebels raided the compound of the China Waters International and Electric Corp. in Barangay Tagabaca and set two bulldozers on fire. — Edith Regalado, Roel Pareño and Ben Serrano