Army points to NPA unit as behind burning of quarry equipment in Bukidnon

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The military is pointing to a communist guerrilla unit as the armed team that razed last June 20 heavy equipment owned by a private company on a quarry site at a village in Valencia City, Bukidnon province.

Capt. Anthony Pueblas, chief of the Army 4th Infantry Division’s public affairs unit, said on Wednesday (June 24) that the armed men who set fire to the equipment belonged to a unit of New People’s Army called Malayag, which was led by a Fredo Banawan, alias Migz, of the rebels’ North Central Mindanao regional committee.

Pueblas said Banawan, who used to live in Quezon town, Bukidnon, is now a fugitive after allegedly being involved in arson, extortion, grave threat and murder.

Banawan, the 4th ID spokesperson said, is also wanted for trafficking in persons.

After the attack on the quarry site, Pueblas said soldiers from the 4th ID launched pursuit operations against the rebel team behind the burning of the equipment.

“The burning of private properties (sic) is a violation of the rule of law, including the International Humanitarian Law,” he said. It was not clear what specific law he was referring to.

He said soldiers recovered four M-16 assault rifles, a Carbine rifle and an M203 grenade launcher on June 22 in separate clash with Banawan’s group in the town of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.

In another clash on that day, rebels supposedly left behind a laptop, six mobile phones, a C4 explosive, two anti-personnel mines, rifle magazines, medical supplies, personal belongings and documents, the military said.

TSB