Rebels torch heavy equipment in Davao Sur town

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 8): Rebels torch heavy equipment in Davao Sur town

Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) burned down a backhoe heavy equipment on Wednesday night at a quarry site in Purok 4, Barangay New Ilocos here.

Senior Inspector Edilberto P. Cabillo, chief of the Magsaysay Municipal Police Station, said the suspects numbering to more than 20 poured a gallon of gasoline into the Sunward backhoe and set on fire the equipment with Serial Number SWE 21001054 and owned by Alejandro Tolero of Barangay Colorado in Digos City.

Cabillo said the equipment was used in the quarry operation in the site owned by Edwin Brieta of Barangay Blocon, Magsaysay.

He said a hot pursuit operation was immediately conducted but proved futile since the suspects were nowhere to be found after fleeing to unknown direction.

This came after Army soldiers seized several high-powered firearms from the communist rebels two weeks ago in Barangay Tacul here.

The presence of these lawless elements delayed multi-million road concreting projects here particularly the P140-million Barayong-Mabini-Bala-Upper Bala Farm to Market Road (FMR) project and the P90-million Poblacion-San Isidro-Tacul FMR project due to threats.

With this, additional police and Army personnel have been deployed here to augment security forces to safeguard several heavy equipment involved in the construction of government projects.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1024519