Rebs say they fired at crop duster

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—Communist rebels said they fired at a crop duster spraying pesticides on a banana plantation in Tagbina town in Surigao, saying the attack served as a punitive action against environmentally destructive aerial spraying.

Ariel Montero, spokesperson of the New People’s Army (NPA) Northeastern Mindanao Regional Command, said the plane owned by Sumifru, piloted by a certain Capt. Magbanua, was shot at while aerial spraying the banana plantations in the village of Sta. Fe on Monday.

Sumifru is a subsidiary of the Sumitomo Corporation.

“The wing and wheel of the plane were struck, forcing its emergency landing. The pilot was not hit and was safe,” Montero said.

Warning

He said the NPA had warned banana plantation owners against aerial spraying because of tje damage it could cause to the environment and health of people living near plantations.

“This practice has been discontinued in other places like Davao City, because of the people’s opposition to its proven harmful effect,” Montero said.

He said the punitive action also served as a warning against land grabbing by banana plantations, which deprived farmers of land to till.

“The small number of those employed suffer from low wages, lack of benefits and lack of job security,” the NPA spokesperson said.

He also warned aviation companies against renting out planes for aerial spraying. —CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN