Reds attack Negros farm, destroys P1-M property

MANILA, Philippines — Suspected New People's Army (NPAs) rebels struck at a hacienda in Negros Occidental and destroyed P1-million worth of property, an online news site reported Saturday. Visayan Daily Star (www.visayandailystar.com) cited belated reports from Task Group Lawin indicating the attack occurred last Oct. 19 in Cadiz City. Task Force Lawin OIC Maj. Nathaniel Villasor said rebels led by Ka Omar destroyed the engines of two cargo trucks owned by businessman Raul Santa Ana in Hacienda Santa Ana in Andres Bonifacio village in Cadiz City. He said the rebels also punctured 17 tire trucks with bayonets during the attack, which he said was likely due to Santa Ana's failure to pay revolutionary taxes. Villasor said the rebels were demanding P3,000 per hectare from Santa Ana on his 157-hectare property in the village, but he ignored the demands. Initial investigation showed that the suspects were also responsible for the destruction of four tractors of sugar planter Antonio Montinola, and burning of sugarcane plantations of Lope Consing in Andres Bonifacio and Caduha-an village, also in Cadiz, in previous months. Another group of rebels also strafed and blasted with rifle grenades the Globe Telecom cell site in Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The NPA Roger Mahinay Command had claimed responsibility for that attack. Villasor said the series of rebel attacks on what he calls "soft targets" was in line with the logistical buildup of the NPA in Negros island. He said the Army's 303rd Infantry Brigade encourages victims of rebel extortion activities to immediately report them to "Anti-NPA Kotong" hotlines 0915-825-9909 and 0921-744-6303. Military records show that about P30 million in properties have been destroyed in the last eight months in Negros Occidental alone, with northern Negros as the hardest hit area with more than P16 million in losses. Villasor said Army soldiers stationed in northern Negros are still pursuing the fleeing rebels. Task Group Lawin is maximizing the use of available Army infantry units in northern Negros against rebels, following the pull-out of 15th Infantry Battalion from the place. Brig. Gen. Josue Gaverza, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the CPP-NPA in Negros is no longer espousing ideological warfare, or political change, but survival. Meanwhile, police in the province said they are not taking chances on the presence of NPA rebels in the hinterlands of Escalante. Four suspected NPA rebels recently disarmed PO2 Louie Maluya of his M-14 assault rifle and .45-caliber pistol at the public market of Balintawak village in Escalante City. Three Escalante policemen were also reportedly marked for liquidation by alleged rebels, and the report is still being validated by the Negros Occidental police. - GMANews.TV