'NPA rebels' torch copra truck in Agusan del Norte

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 25): 'NPA rebels' torch copra truck in Agusan del Norte

Suspected New People's Army rebels on Saturday burned a truck used in hauling copra when its owner allegedly refused to give in to their demand to pay "revolutionary tax" to them.

Reports from the Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office said a Canter truck (MDE-392), owned by copra buyer Socorro Honculada and driven by a certain Samson Flores, was torched by the armed group who introduced themselves as members of the CPP-NPA. The incident happened 4 p.m. last Saturday in Sitio Tabon, Brgy. Aclan, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

Police said town policemen received a call from a concerned citizen regarding the incident an hour later. A team augmented by Agusan del Norte Public Safety Company led by Insp. Legayada was immediately dispatched to the area. Investigation showed Flores and his companions were loading sacks of copra when armed men numbering about eight approached them and introduced themselves as rebels.

One of the rebels eventually handed Flores a cellular phone number and instructed him to contact Honculada. Witnesses in the area claimed that minutes after Flores and his companions left the area, the armed men set the truck on fire.

More armed men were said to have arrived at the scene and secured the place while the truck is being burned. It was also gathered that a representative of the rebels who talked with Honculada tried to extort money from his copra business which the trader rejected.

Nasipit police investigators are now conducting a follow-up investigation on the incident.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=501089