Rebels torch farm tractor in Negros Occ. "For non-payment of revolutionary taxes"

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) swooped down an hacienda in E. B. Magalona, Negros Occidental and burned a farm tractor for refusal of its owner to pay revolutionary taxes, the military said.

Colonel Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said the incident that happened at 7:30 p.m. on June 14 at Hacienda Teresa in Brgy. Alicante caused injury to a farm worker.

Patrimonio said a group of about 20 armed men believed to be NPA members under the Northern Negros Front raided the hacienda owned by Arturo Ledesma for his failure to pay revolutionary taxes.

Last May 31, suspected rebels also burned two farm tractors owned by Jovie Gallo at Hacienda Riverside in Brgy. San Isidro, E.B. Magalona, also for not complying with the extortion demands of the NPA, Patrimonio said.

Senior Insp. Norberto Barniso, E.B. Magalona police chief, said the rebels also took the M16 service firearm and bandolier of the security guard identified as Mario Lachica, and wounded Christopher Gerza, the time keeper of the hacienda.

Barniso said it also triggered panic among hacienda residents, who hid in their residences. The group then boarded a multi-cab vehicle in withdrawing towards Barangay Cudangdang, an adjacent barangay in E.B. Magalona, he said.

Members of 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion and Provincial Mobile Group and troopers from the 62nd Infantry Battalion conducted pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels, Patrimonio said.

Lieutenant Col. Eduardo Gubat, 62nd IB commander, also alleged that the raids on two haciendas in E.B. Magalona were perpetrated by the same group of rebels operating in northern Negros.

During the weekend, communist rebels also launched simultaneous harassments of four military outposts in Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental, and Isabela in Negros Occidental, he said.

"This again shows the anti-people motive of the CPP-NPA in Negros Island that affected the living condition and safety of our community and also affected the economy of the province in general. These violent and criminal acts of the mainstream rebel group will be filed to the proper court through our local PNP for appropriate disposition of another arson case committed by the CPP-NPA," Patrimonio said.