Suspected NPA rebels torch farm truck in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Seven suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels burned a 10-wheeler cargo truck in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, at about 6 a.m. Sunday, hours before the fight of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez was broadcast.

However, except for the arson incident, there were no untoward incident during the boxing fight of Pacquiao and Marquez in Negros Occidental, military and police records showed.

Lieutenant Colonel Ramil Bitong, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, said the 10-wheeler truck owned by a certain Gerardo Titular was flagged down and burned by seven suspected rebels, three of them wearing camouflage uniforms and armed with high-powered firearms, at his sugarcane farm in Barangay (village) Carabalan, Himamaylan City.

After burning the truck, the assailants withdrew immediately towards Sitio (sub-village) Bolod and Daat in the same barangay and were pursued by the troopers of the 11th IB.

Two weeks ago, 11th IB troopers figured in armed skirmishes with five suspected NPA rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, who left behind a homemade shotgun and combat packs containing personal belongings, military records showed.

Army 1st Lieutenant. Rey Balibagoso on Monday said the burning of the cargo truck might have been triggered by refusal of the owner to pay revolutionary taxes.