Reds burn road-building equipment hours after PNP chief lauds success in counterinsurgency drive

COTABATO CITY—Communist rebels struck hours after the national police chief lauded regional police for success in the counterinsurgency program, setting fire to three construction equipment being used for a road-widening program in South Cotabato on Monday (June 15).

Maj. Irish Hezron Parangan, police chief of Tboli town, South Cotabato, said the rebels burned a back hoe, pay loader and 10-wheel dump truck after the equipment owner, Gemma Construction, allegedly refused to pay revolutionary taxes.

The attack came just hours after Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa visited the Soccsksargen, or Region 12, police office and lauded policemen there for success in the counterinsurgency campaign.

Parangan, citing witnesses, said at least 12 armed men arrived at the Sinfred quarry site at the border of Edwards village in Tboli and Veterans village in Surallah town, South Cotabato past 3 p.m. on Monday.

Four of the men ordered the drivers and workers to move away as they poured gasoline into the three equipment’s engines and set these ablaze before they fled toward Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Parangan said.

Police estimated the cost of damage to be about P20 million.

Parangan said the company had been receiving what he said were extortion letters from the communist New People’s Army which included a warning of attack if demands were ignored.

Authorities earlier announced the surrender of what they said were 80 NPA members and supporters and the burning of rebel flag.

Edited by TSB