NPA rebels torch sugar farm, truck

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  - About seven suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels burned the sugarcane farm, including a 10-wheeler cargo truck, owned by a barangay official in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, at about 6 a.m. Sunday.

The incident took place hours before the fight of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, the military reported.

Except for the arson incident, there were no untoward incidents in Negros Occidental during the boxing fight of Pacquiao and Marquez, said the report.

Lieutenant Col. Ramil Bitong, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, said the truck owned by Gerardo Titular was flagged down and burned by seven suspected rebels, three of them wearing camouflage uniforms, and armed with high-powered firearms, at his sugarcane farm in the hacienda.

Troopers of the 11th IB are now pursuing the assailants who immediately withdrew towards sitios Bolod and Daat in Brgy. Carabalan of Himamaylan City, Bitong said.

First Lt. Rey Balibagoso said the burning of the farm and cargo truck may have been triggered by refusal of the owner to pay revolutionary taxes.

Colonel Francisco Patrimonio, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, for his part told The FREEMAN the rebels were committing these atrocities to impose forced taxation among sugar planters. (FREEMAN)