Members of the New People's Army kill a security guard and a warehouse caretaker, and burn farm equipment, workers' motorcycles and their bunkhouses during the raid
NPA RAID. The New People’s Army has been raiding plantations in Bukidnon as ‘punishment’ for the growers. File photo my Karlos Manlupig
Members of the New People’s Army (NPA) killed two civilians during a raid on a plantation of Del Monte Philippines Incorporated (DMPI) in Quezon, Bukidnon, military officials said.
The NPA under the
South-Central Bukidnon (NPA-SCB) Sub-Regional
Command raided the compound of Kiantig Development Corporation (KDC) – a Del
Monte pineapple grower – in Sitio Kiantig, Barangay San Jose on Tuesday, July
15.
The military said
the NPA killed two civilians – security guard Rey Baylon and warehouse
caretaker Reynald Pangkat. They allegedly took 17 firearms, and burned a
tractor and 4 motorcycles belonging to farm workers.
Major Christian
Uy, the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the rebels
also burned down the plantation’s chemical warehouse and workers' bunkhouses.
Uy said that the
10th Infantry Division is conducting clearing operations in Quezon, Bukidnon.
Allan Juanito of
the NPA-North Central Mindanao Regional Command said in a statement that the
rebel group is punishing Del Monte for its alleged “massive criminal
culpability.”
“Firstly, its
outgrower, Poling Lorenzo, who aggressively seeks to expand the plantation, is
a land grabber. Using his armed guards, he harassed the legitimate claimants of
the land he targets for expansion. Even nuns, students and supporters of the
peasant claimants had a taste of strafing from Lorenzo rabid guards,” Juanito
claimed.
He also accused
DMPI of violating labor laws.
The attack took
place hours after more than 100 NPA rebels simultaneously attacked targets in
Agusan del Sur province.
On February 19,
2013, the NPA stormed the DMPI motor pool garage in Manolo Fortich town, the
Del Monte fertilizer warehouse and logistics office in Sumilao town, and the
Dole Philippines office in Impasug-ong – all in Bukidnon. (READ: NPA raid a warning to plantations – NDF)
The 2013
plantation attacks killed one security guard and wounded two others.
DMPI, a leading
producer of pineapple and other food products, prides itself as having “the largest integrated
pineapple operation in the world.”
According to its
official website, DMPI has 20,000 hectares of pineapple plantations in Bukidnon
and Misamis Oriental.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/63658-rebels-kill-civilians-del-monte-bukidnon
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