'Communist rebels' burn farm equipment

AN ARMED group believed to be communist rebels, some of them women, razed to the ground two farm vehicles in Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon province, the military said Monday.

The group swooped down on the Dole plantation in Sitio Kubayan, Malaybalay City Sunday evening and disarmed the company's security guards. They then burned two farm vehicles and fled with weapons seized from the guards, said reports reaching the Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID).

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Army Colonel Nicanor Dolojan of the 403rd Brigade said the motive may have been extortion.

"These terrorists are doing these dastardly acts to terrorize the company and be able to pursue their extortion activities and collect much-needed logistical and financial support," said Dolojan.

"We encourage the populace to cooperate with the military and the PNP in bringing to justice the perpetrators, a small step towards achieving lasting peace and progress in Mindanao," the Army official added.

Major General Mario F. Chan AFP, 4th ID commander, denounced the attack as "terrorism".

"The NPAs are once again doing their terroristic act," Chan said in a statement.

"These lawless elements are targeting the so-called soft targets to terrorize this establishment and be able to project to the populace that they are still a force to be reckoned with."

The group carted away a shotgun, a pistol of undetermined caliber and two handheld radios. They withdrew in the direction of Barangay Dalwagan.

The burned vehicles were worth more than a million pesos, the 4th ID said.

It said the troops in the area are still conducting pursuit operations as of this writing. (DVA/PR)