NPA admits burning construction equipment in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY — The New People’s Army (NPA) has admitted burning two backhoes and a dump truck on Saturday (Oct. 7) in the Cagayan town of Santa Teresita, claiming it was punishment for destructive quarrying.

In a two-page statement issued on Saturday night, Fernan Cagayan, spokesman of the NPA Henry Abraham Front, said rebels destroyed heavy equipment owned by the DDT Construction and the Tiboc Construction for quarrying an area which allegedly destroyed the irrigation system of about 200 hectares of rice farms.

The Inquirer could not independently verify this claim as of this posting.

The NPA said rebels seized a handgun from the DDT caretaker.

Cagayan claimed the Santa Teresita attack was one of four rebel operations undertaken on Saturday.

The rebels claimed to have confiscated weapons from Barangay Tabbak Councilor Sergio Tineza of Buguey town, Tabbak resident Jose Malabbo, and Barangay Villacielo Chairman Fortunato Barcena, also in Buguey.

/atm