Rebels torch bus over ‘tax’

LEGAZPI CITY — Communist rebels torched a Manila-bound passenger bus in Camiling, Albay Tuesday night after the bus owner failed to pay "revolutionary tax," police said.

Four New People’s Army guerrillas, posing as passengers, boarded the St. Jude bus at the company’s terminal here at about 6 p.m. the other day, said Senior Superintendent Pedro Tango, Albay police director.

Upon reaching the Camiling town proper, the four men drew their caliber .45 handguns and ordered driver Renato de la Cruz to proceed to Barangay Bariw about a kilometer away.

There, six more rebels were waiting, and they ordered the 61 passengers and three bus helpers to disembark, after which they poured gasoline on the bus and torched it.

De la Cruz quoted the rebels as saying that they wanted to teach the bus owner a lesson for refusing to pay "revolutionary taxes."

Last year, the NPA burned down a Philtranco bus in the same area. — Celso Amo