NPA rebels torch heavy equipment

DAVAO CITY – Suspected New Peoples Army rebels burned a construction heavy equipment in Purok Banana La Union, Barangay Mankilam in the capital town of Tagum City in Davao del Norte on Monday night.

According to Southern Mindanao regional police director Andres Caro II, the suspects burned the Dynapac road roller owned by Rely Construction at around 6 p.m. the other night.

Caro said he received reports that the contractor of a government project in the said place had an earlier unsettled problem with a group of NPAs in their previous projects in Panabo City as well as in Calinan District in Davao City.

It was learned the suspects set the road roller on fire by pouring gasoline on the equipment before they fled to unknown direction.

The burning of the construction heavy equipment was the latest in the series of atrocities committed by the communist guerrillas in this part of the country.

Caro said authorities have also been on high alert especially with the coming commemoration of the founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on March 29.

The communist guerrillas here have lately been on an offensive spree, attacking both military and police outposts, aside from their having killed authorities in several ambush cases recently.