DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Suspected New People’s Army rebels burned down six heavy equipment and other machineries worth about P20 million at the base of a construction firm in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur late Tuesday night, police said.
Senior Inspector Ronnel Tesorero, San Miguel police chief, said at least 100 NPA rebels raided the headquarters of the Concepcion Basic Builders Inc. owned by one Arthur Ong-o and poured gasoline on the heavy equipment before lighting them up.
The rebels torched a backhoe, payloader, crane, boom truck and two dump trucks. They also burned down a welding machine, machine generator, and a chainsaw.
The rebels did not hurt workers of the construction firm.
Authorities said Ong-o could have failed to pay “revolutionary taxes,” prompting the NPA attack. – Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude