Saturday, July 05, 2008 Communist group targets DCWD, 3 giant companies By Carlo P. Mallo
FOUR big companies in the Davao region are on the hot list of the New People's Army (NPA), an intelligence report said.
The intelligence report identified Lapanday Foods Corporation, Dole Philippines, Franklin Baker, and the Davao City Water District (DCWD) as the four companies that are being targeted by the rebel group.
According to the intelligence report, the four companies have been placed on the hot list of the rebel group due to their labor disputes.
The report added that the truck of Franklin Baker was stopped at a checkpoint last week as the rebels thought that the vehicle was laden with sacks of rice.
"Pero puro harina ang dala (They were only carrying flour)," the intelligence source added.
Moreover, the Police Regional Office for Southern Mindanao said notorious rebel leader Leoncio Pitao is behind the extortion activities in the region, including that of the four big companies.
Pitao, more commonly known as Commander Parago, is believed to be behind the series of atrocities perpetrated by the rebel group on private businesses in the region in the past few weeks.
"It is the top organized criminal group that is extorting from big companies," said Police Regional Director Andres Caro II.
In the past few weeks, the rebel group has bombed the towers of Globe Telecommunications and the National Transmission Corporation (NTC).
Meanwhile, the chairman of the board of directors of the DCWD refused to comment on the intelligence report.
In a text message, Ed Bangayan, chairman of the board of directors of DCWD, said "all the actions of the water utility are in accordance with the law and the Civil Service Commission regulations."
Although the rebel group has not cited the reason for the enlisting of the water utility, it is believed that the agency was placed on the "hot list" due to its ongoing dispute with its labor union.
The management of DCWD and its labor union have a long standing dispute on a number of issues ranging from the perceived moves of the management to privatize the water firm to allegations of union-busting.
"We would focus our efforts on the protection of our water resources and provision of water to the city," Bangayan added.
