NPA rebels burn heavy equipment of Enrile-owned wood firm in Agusan Sur

BUNAWAN, Agusan del Sur — Around 80 fully armed New People’s Army rebels on Tuesday burned heavy equipment of a wood processing firm of the JAKA Group, owned by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, in Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur, a belated police report said Thursday. A report from Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office claimed around 80 fully armed NPA rebels swooped down on the Casilayan Softwood Development Corporation (CSDC) located at Purok 1 in San Salvador village Tuesday noon and burned a grader, a backhoe and a ten-wheeler logging truck. Moreover, the report said the attackers were from Guerilla Front 19 of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee headed by alias Eman. The CSDC is operating a wood processing plant in Prosperidad and a match factory in Magallanes town in Agusan del Norte. Meanwhile, Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Reynaldo S. Rafal said the rebels immediately withdrew towards Barangay San Martin, also in Prosperidad, upon knowing government troops were coming. Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Operatives and Special Action Force (SAF) conducted hot pursuit operations against the fleeing communist rebels, while an ongoing investigation into the incident is being conducted. — Ben Serrano /LBG, GMA News