Military deploys troops to secure Chinese mining firm in Agusan

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Soldiers have been deployed in southern Philippines to secure a Chinese mining firm which was raided by members of the leftist rebel group New People's Army ( NPA) on Saturday, a military official said today.

Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, commander of the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division, said 120 officers and men are now stationed at the Alston Mining Co. in Tubay town, Agusan del Norte province.

"Soldiers will not serve as security guards (of the company). What they will provide is more of area security," said Visaya.

He also said the Chinese firm is looking at employing militiamen to secure the company against NPA guerrillas who demand "revolutionary tax" from mining firms in southern Philippines.

Some 100 heavily-armed NPA guerrillas swooped down on Alston Mining at around 1:15 a.m., Saturday. The leftist rebels burned several office buildings and torched four dump trucks and a back hoe.

The rebels also took six shotguns from the guards before fleeing.