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Monday, October 27, 2008
Communist rebels attack plantation, seize 16 guns
DAVAO CITY -- Communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels crowed over their raid of a military detachment guarding the Stanfilco-Dole plantation in Luna Sur, Makilala, North Cotabato on Saturday.
The rebels said the militia guards were not even able to put up a fight when they raided the Stanfilco-Dole plantation at 10:25 a.m. Saturday. They were able to seize 16 high-powered rifles, assorted ammunition, and military paraphernalia.
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According to the NPA, the attack was a punitive action against Stanfilco-Dole.
A press statement sent through email by the NPA's Valentine Palamine Regional Operations Command said the raid "took no less than 10 minutes."
"One Cafgu member named Antonio Quicoy was killed and three others, including a soldier of the 39th IB, were wounded. There was not a single casualty from the NPA (side)," the rebels claimed.
Inspector Ramel Hojilla, chief of the Makilala police, confirmed the death of Quicoy.
Hojilla identified the wounded as Army Master Sergeant Felipe Bernante of the 37th IB, Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment commander assigned at Barangay Luna Sur; militiamen Ramel Gonzaga and Roberto Gulada; and village guard Ronie Adajar.
The statement identified the Milisyang Bayan of Front 72 as the one that carried out the attack.
This is the second attack staged by the NPA on Stanfilco-Dole in Makilala this year. The first one was four months ago when the rebels torched four mobile packing vehicles and two company trucks.
The rebels accuse Stanfilco-Dole of taking over farmlands of poor residents who have fallen into bankruptcy.
The NPA said that in Makilala alone, Stanfilco-Dole is controlling 30,000 hectares of prime agricultural land.
Meanwhile, Hojilla said the militiamen and the soldiers were busy preparing for a transfer of assignment when the rebels, onboard an Isuzu canter, arrived and started shooting. He added that hours before the attack, more or less 20 rebels were already positioned in different strategic places.
Quicoy was standing near the detachment gage and was hit on the head. He died immediately.
Soldiers from the 57th IB who rushed to reinforce their colleagues were ambushed at Barangay Luna Norte but no one was injured, Hojilla said in a radio interview.
"A landmine planted along the road exploded but did not hit the Isuzu elf carrying the soldiers," Hojilla added.
Initial police investigation said the rebels, led by a certain Commander Tawtaw of the 72nd Far South Command of the NPA, commandeered an Isuzu canter driven by a certain Boni Malod around 9 a.m. Sunday. Malod was on his way to Barangay Guangan from Poblacion in Makilala to deliver banana products when the rebels waylaid him.
The rebels also used the truck as their get-away vehicle and later abandoned it somewhere in the boundary of Makilala and Tulunan in North Cotabato.
The police and the Army have already launched manhunt operations against the attackers. (Malu Cadeliña Manar/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (October 27, 2008 issue)
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