BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Plain and simple extortion. That’s the motivation, according to Caraga police, of the attack mounted by some 30 fully armed suspected communist rebels on a mining firm’s quarry Friday midnight. The attackers torched property estimated at P9 million, and seized employee’s cell phones and other belongings, the police added.
“Based on the testimonies of the operators/drivers, the rebels said, “Wa ni bayad gihatag sa kalihokan” (They failed to pay for the movement) which may refer to the extortion money,” Chief Supt. Rolando Felix said.
The perpetrators poured gasoline on four backhoes, one dump truck and one payloader and set them on fire. No one among the employees was hurt.
The Caraga Police condemned in the strongest terms the attack on GMC Quarry Friday midnight in Purok 7, Brgy. Bonbon, Butuan City.
More or less 30 fully armed guerillas barged into the bunkhouse of the operators of heavy equipment and confiscated their cellular phones, said the police report..
Damage to property may reach P9,000,000.00, according to the personnel of Bureau of Fire Protection who responded to the incident.
“Let us condemn these dastardly acts of the rebels who masquerade as a protector of the people but a group of bandits that resorts to terrorize businesses to extort money and implant fear on the local folks. Help your PNP to monitor the presence of rebels in the different areas in Caraga and alert security forces to prevent similar attacks,” Felix added.
