MALAYBALAY CITY–New People’s Army (NPA) rebels attacked a pineapple plantation in the Bukidnon town of Don Carlos and burned a harvesting equipment on Thursday, the Army said.
In a statement released by the Army’s 403rd Brigade on Friday, an unspecified number of armed men raided the plantation area of Davao Agriculture Ventures Company Inc. (DAVCO) in Brgy. San Nicolas at around 8 p.m.
The armed men “threatened the workers and announced that they are NPA members,” the Army statement said, adding the group disarmed the lone security guard and seized the latter’s cellphone.
“Without warning, they poured gasoline and burned a Camico 633 (pineapple harvesting equipment). The workers who were terrified cannot do anything but ran for their safety for fear of being killed,” it added.
The rebels also burned a backhoe and fled toward the direction of the neighboring Maramag town, the Army said.
Col. Edgardo de Leon, commander of the 403rd Brigade, decried the rebels’ attack “against civilian properties,” while noting that the destroyed properties had nothing to do with the military’s operations.
“We will be submitting a report to CHR-10 (Commission on Human Rights-Northern Mindanao) and request them to investigate if the actions of the NPAs violate IHL (International Humanitarian Law),” de Leon added.
NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. -PNA
