Suspected NPA rebels torch equipment used in gov’t housing for ‘Pablo’ survivors

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Communist rebels on Wednesday night torched several pieces of heavy equipment used in a government housing project for typhoon victims in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, police on Thursday said.

An undetermined number of suspected New People’s Army guerrillas stormed an area of the Pacific Asphalt Co. in Sitio Tribu in Barangay Union around 10 p.m.Wednesday and set fire to four heavy equipment, Senior Supt. Abraham Rojas, Compostela Valley police chief, said.

Pacific Asphalt Co. is a contractor for the housing project for Typhoon Pablo victims, which is being funded by the National Housing Authority.

Rojas said the rebels burned a boom truck worth P2 million, a payloader costing P2 million, an Isuzu mixer, and another truck, both worth P1 million each.

No one was hurt during the arson though.

Wednesday’s attack was the latest arson carried out by the NPA in Compostela Valley.

Last month, suspected rebels also burned an excavator (backhoe) owned by a barangay (village) chief in Compostela town.

Both the police and the military said the attacks could be the offshoot of the refusal of the equipment owners to give in to the rebels’ extortion demands.