Suspected rebels burn equipment worth P20M

MANILA, Philippines—Armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army burned equipment worth at least P20 million in Surigao del Sur on Tuesday night, the military said Wednesday.

The burned equipment, which included two dump trucks, one payloader, one backhoe, one generator set with one welding machine, one crane, one pavement concrete vibrator and one chainsaw, were from the Concepcion Basic Builders Incorporated owned by Arthur Ong-o, said Second Lieutenant Hazel Tabago, Commanding Officer of the 41st Civil Military Operations Company.

The equipment, used to renovate a bridge linking San Miguel town to key centers in Caraga region, were burned along Poblacion village, San Miguel town, past 10 p.m.

The pursuit operations conducted against the perpetrators led to a 30-minute encounter with about 15 rebels along Sitio Kiskis at about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

No casualties were reported in the government side while one was killed from the enemy side. Three alleged rebels were arrested after the encounter and are now under the custody of local officials.