Philippine communist rebels raid banana plantation

MANILA, Philippines  — The military says communist rebels have raided a Japanese-managed banana plantation in the southern Philippines just weeks after guerrillas attacked three Japanese-Filipino mining companies.

Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza of the army’s 10th Infantry Division says about 25 New People’s Army rebels disguised as soldiers surprised security guards at the Sumifru Corp. compound in Compostela Valley province’s Laak township early Thursday.

He says they burned two trucks and the company’s radio communications room and fled with the guards’ weapons and an electric generator. No one was hurt.

The rebels earlier this month burned millions of dollars worth of equipment at three mining companies in southern Surigao del Norte province partly owned by Japan’s Sumitomo Corp.

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