Army, police hunt down NPAs who torched bus in S. Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 13): Army, police hunt down NPAs who torched bus in S. Cotabato

Elements of the 27th Infantry Battalion and personnel of Tupi municipal police office are pursuing a band of New People's Army (NPA) guerillas who torched a Yellow Bus Company (YBL) unit in village in Tupi, South Cotabato.

"We are still pursuing the suspects who are heavily armed," Inspector Romel Hitalia, Tupi town police chief, said.

In his report to Supt. Franklin Alvero, South Cotabato police director, Hitalia said the burning of YBL (Body number 77 and temporary plate number 1301-51080) transpired at about 4:20 a.m. in Barangay Polonuling, Tupi. South Cotabato, about 50 kilometers east of this city.

“The suspects claimed they were NPAs,” Hitalia said in a phone interview, quoting the bus driver.

Hitalia said five men boarded the Gen. Santos City-bound bus along the national highway and declared they were NPA members.

They directed the driver to turn left toward an open field of pineapple plantation. After about 100 meters away from the national highway, more armed rebels were seen waiting.

Quoting passengers, Hitalia said the gunmen ordered the passengers, including the driver, to alight. Other rebels poured gasoline inside and around the air condition bus with body number 77.

Then they set on fire the unit and fled deep into the forest of Mt. Matutum. The passengers were not harmed.

Responding police and elements of the 27th Infantry Battalion failed to catch up with the suspects who fled toward Mt. Matutum. Pursuit operations continue.

Police are eyeing extortion as the motive of the burning of YBL unit, one of the many similar instances the past years.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=939642