Armed men raid banana packing firm in South Cotabato

KORONADAL CITY ,Philippines  – An employee of a banana packing plant in T’boli, South Cotabato was killed while another was wounded when heavily armed men attacked their company Saturday night.

Citing police reports, T’boli Mayor Dibu Tuan said armed men stormed the packing plant of Sumifro Philippines, located in Sitio Lakag in Barangay Laconon of the said town.

The gunmen disarmed the firm’s security guards and shot two employees before leaving the premises.

The fatality was identified as Lindon Aselan, 27, a resident of a village in Polomolok town.

The other victim, identified only as Jen Man, was hit on her left shoulder and is still confined in one of the province’s hospitals.

Tuan said the police are still investigating the incident, considered to be the first attack against Sumifro, a multinational banana company that employs members of B’laan and T’boli tribes in the province.

Police and military forces have secured the other packing plants of the company to prevent similar attacks.