Bacolod: Rebels attack Philex Mining (1 p.m.)
BACOLOD CITY - Suspected rebels led by a woman fighter raided the compound of Philex Gold Mining Corporation in Sipalay City Wednesday night and burned two bunk houses and a security guard outpost.
The rebels also carted away guns, cellular phones of employees and radios of security guards, the Sipalay police reported.
Sipalay Police Chief Arnel Arpon said the suspects armed with M-14 and M-16 armalite rifles entered the mining premises by disarming the guard-on-duty Noel Binigay.
While inside the premises, the rebels burned the two bunkhouses and a guardhouse, said Arpon.
The two bunkhouses are owned by United Paraphine Drillings (UPD), a contractor of the mining firm conducting an ongoing exploration for copper and gold in the area.
Estimated damage of burned properties was pegged at P1.5 million.
Binigay said the suspects also stayed inside the mining compound for 15 to 20 minutes before withdrawing to the eastern portion of the mining site.
He said a woman fighter told him that a lot were complaining about the ongoing exploration that reportedly causing damage to rice farms within the periphery of the mining site.(Sun.Star Bacolod)
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