Troops pursuing rebels who chopped down rubber trees in Surigao Del Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 17): Troops pursuing rebels who chopped down rubber trees in Surigao Del Sur
 
Units from the Eastern Mindanao Command Thursday were pursuing a New People's Army (NPA) band who chopped down the newly planted rubber trees owned by Bacolod Upland Farmers Association (BUPA) in Sitio Cagburao, Brgy Bacolod, Cagwait, Surigao Del Sur early this week.

The 15 rebels also uprooted around 7,000 seedlings in a nearby rubber nursery.

This was in retaliation for BUPA's refusal to give in to the NPA's extortion demand, military sources in Manila said.

With this senseless attack, rubber farmers in the area are requesting the military to protect their plantations and communities against the rebels.

Part 4, Article 4, Section 4 of Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law prohibits both the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front (NDF) from attacking civilians and their properties.

This is another human rights violation by the NPAs, the sources said.

On Sept. 1, the NPAs burned a multi-million Standard Rubber Development Corporation (SRDC) in Barangay Taluntalunan, Makilala, North Cotabato and killed the manager thru use of landmines.

On June 18, the NPAs took responsibility for the raid at a rubber tree plantation in Km 8, Barangay Hawilian, Esperanza town in Agusan Del Sur that killed five security guards.

Eastern Mindanao Command head Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III condemned this criminal act of the NPAs.

He directed all military units in the area to be vigilant and to ensure the safety of the farmers and their crops.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=577255