DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Suspected New People’s Army rebels burned some P8 million worth of quarrying equipment in Sitio Atuon, Barangay Danao, Surigao City early yesterday morning, the military said.
Maj. Eugenio Osias IV, spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (ID) said two payloaders and a dump truck owned by a certain Felix Chua of Surigao City, who is involved in quarrying operations, were burned. The suspects fled after the incident.
Authorities believe extortion was the motive behind the atrocity. Chua reportedly refused to pay revolutionary taxes to the NPA guerrillas.
”This is no longer about ideology and principle. This is about the sickening greed of each (NPA) member to accumulate wealth and money,” said Maj. Gen. Victor Felix, chief of the Army’s 4th ID. – Edith Regalado, Alexis Romero