CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal -- A small band of New Peoples’ Army (NPA) rebels, reportedly numbering about 10, raided a facility of the Pacific Summit Construction Group Inc. (PSCGI) in Sitio Pandarawan, Barangay Maragondon in Real, Quezon, holding its employees at gunpoint while torching valuable construction equipment Monday evening.
Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos, commander of the 202nd Brigade said Tuesday that the workers of the construction firm were roused from their sleep and rounded up around 11:30 p.m. Monday by the heavily armed suspects.
The terrorists went on to douse the construction equipment with gasoline and then set the trucks on fire, which quickly spread through the office building.
"We were asleep, when the armed group barged into our room. While poking their guns at us, they ordered us to lay flat on the ground. They had with them women comrades. A few minutes later, I saw that our office and the trucks were on fire,” narrated one of the visibly traumatized construction workers in Filipino.
Burgos described the latest NPA attack as a sign of desperation, saying the communist terrorists had begun to prey on non-combatants.
“The NPAs are desperate. They are hard up complying with their leader's order to go on the offensive. They can only do that to civilians, threaten and hurt them. Their desire is to frighten the people and hopefully, force contractors to pay extortion money to them,” he said.
The construction firm’s project manager later told investigators that the attack caused the destruction of equipment used in mini-dam construction, consisting of three dump trucks, two backhoes, a generator set, one transit mixer, loader, a van, and a pickup.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Melencio Ragudo, commanding officer of the 80 Infantry Battalion (80IB), said that both the military and police have set up checkpoints and have launched pursuit operations in a bid to apprehend the terrorists.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1059718
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