Monday, August 04, 2008 Alert level still up vs NPA's rampage
THE alert level in Davao City remains to be up, as the police are not discounting the possibility of more attacks by the rebel group, especially in far-flung areas.
Just last week, the rebel group attacked three farms in the Buhangin District of Davao City.
"We are coordinating with our counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," Senior Superintendent Ramon Apolinario, Davao City Police director, said.
"Our alert level is up," Apolinario added.
Based on military reports, the group of Leoncio Pitao, more commonly known as Kumander Parago of the New People's Army's (NPA's) Pulang Bagani Command, was behind the attack.
Pitao's gang is said to be demanding revolutionary taxes from certain companies that refused to pay.
The military said the attackers burned four dump trucks and two heavy equipments, and disarmed a security guard of a banana firm in Davao City.
EastMinCom reports said that at 6:15 p.m., at least 50 heavily armed NPA rebels onboard an L-300 and Starex vans attacked the farm of Nonong Rodriguez in Mandug, Buhangin.
The farm's security guards reportedly tried to drive back the rebels but they were overpowered.
The .9mm gun of one of security guard, Antonio Espinas, was taken while another guard was divested of his shotgun.
The Starex van with plate number LWW 201 fled towards the direction of Callawa while the L-300 van, with plate number LCV 581, stopped in front of the Lapanday airstrip hangar.
The armed group also open fired at the airstrip hangar in Lapanday Foods I
Incorporation.
The rebels also wreaked havoc at Cabaguio Farm in sitio Fatima, Barangay Mandug, burning four dump trucks and two backhoe heavy equipment owned by Ruben Quigue, a resident of Flores Village in Bangkal, Davao City.
Wednesday's attack is the latest in the series of attacks perpetrated by communist rebels in Davao City.
Several weeks ago, rebels also raided a firm in Bunawan district, which reportedly refused to pay the revolutionary taxes being demanded by the rebel group. (CPM)
