Rebels attack airport in Albay, burn equipment

From the Gulf News (Oct 2): Rebels attack airport in Albay, burn equipment

While peace talks remained suspended, about 30 heavily-armed members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) continued their attacks and set on fire heavy equipment worth $1 million being used in the construction of an international airport in Albay province in the Bicol Region.

Superintendent Arthur Gomez, the provincial police spokesman, disclosed the attack in the town of Daaga, Albay arose from the rejection by the airport contractors of the NPA demand for the payment of “revolutionary taxes.”

Gomez reported that the airport attack was one at least three raids conducted on Thursday night by the insurgents in Daraga, the other two consisting of raids on a police outpost and a military camp considered as “diversionary.”

Police and the military blamed the raids on the NPA, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines that has been waging a Maoist-style insurgency against the government for close to 50 years, considered the longest in the region.

Gomez said no one was reported hurt but the Maoists torched at least $1 million worth of heavy equipment being used in the construction of the airport , described as a “flagship project, ”like dump tracks, graders, cranes as well as a jeep and a pickup.

Some of the witnesses told the police they overheard the insurgents as saying in Filipino the attack was launched as “punishment” for the airport contractors’s refusal to pay the “revolutionary taxes” being demanded, according to Gomez.

“So sad. Another setback after 12 years of effort. But we are not giving up,” said Congressman Joey Salceda and also the former governor who initiated the airport project to lure more visitors to visit Albay, the home of the majestic but fiery Mayon Volcano which experts agree, has the world’s most perfect cone.

The Albay raids were the latest in a series of attacks launched by the Maoists since President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte suspended in May peace talks in Oslo, Norway which has been brokering the negotiations.

The Maoists were represented in the talks by their political arm the National Democratic Front headed by fomer priest Rafael Jalandoni.

Among others, Duterte cited the Maoists’ demand for the payment of revolutionary taxes, which he, however, denounced as “extortion” from business firms.

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