Army troops foil NPA sabotage bid vs Dole plantation

From the Daily Tribune (Apr 6): Army troops foil NPA sabotage bid vs Dole plantation

Army troops yesterday foiled an attempt to sabotage a Dole Philippines plantation in Surigao del Sur province after engaging a band of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, resulting in the killing of at least one communist in Tago town.

Lt. Col. Joseph Norwin Pasamonte, commander of the Army’s 36th Infantry Battalion (IB), said that his troops were on routine security patrol along the vicinities of their headquarters at around 1:40 a.m. when they clashed with more or less 30 NPA rebels.

Pasamonte said that the firefight lasted for about 20 minutes, resulting in the killing of at least one NPA rebel whose body was recovered in the encounter site in Barangay Dayo-an, along with an AK-47 assault rifle.

The identity of the slain NPA rebel, whose body was turned over to the police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco), was not immediately known.

According to Pasamonte, the NPA rebels on their way to the Dole plantation to cut down bananas to sabotage the company.

Pasamonte attributed the successful operation to the information provided by local residents on the presence of the NPA band in the area.

 “Though our soldiers are security conscious and are conducting patrols as a method of active defense, the credit for this successful encounter is for the people in the community who reported the presence of these rebels,” said Pasamonte.

“We are happy that no soldier was hurt, but we are also sorry for the death of this rebel — another Filipino wasted his life for the wrong cause and means of the NPA leadership,” he added.

Earlier this year, NPA rebels also raided plantations of Dole Philippines and Del Monte Philippines in Surigao, resulting in the loss of millions worth of valuables.

In Compostela Valley province, a militiaman was killed while another one was wounded after NPA rebels attacked a military detachment in Kilometer 12, Barangay Casoon, Monkayo at around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Killed was Romeo Comamao, a member of the Civilian Armed Auxiliary under the Army’s 72nd Infantry Battalion (IB), while wounded was Resalio Quilario.

Reports showed that more or less 15 NPA rebels attacked the detachment, prompting the CAA members to retaliate and engage the communists in a 15-minute firefight.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/12519-army-troops-foil-npa-sabotage-bidvs-dole-plantation