Suspected NPAs torch T'boli construction equipment

KORONADAL CITY –- Police and military authorities here have launched a manhunt
against members of communist guerrillas who torched four heavy equipment of a
construction firm in T’boli, South Cotabato Friday night, police said.

Chief Insp.
Jose Marie Simangan, T’boli police chief, said the incident happened in Barangay
Edwards at 8 p.m.

Simangan said
about 10 to 15 heavily armed suspected New Peoples’ Army (NPA) arrived in the
compound of AJ construction company in Barangay Edwards at 8 p.m., disarmed its
security guards and set on fire four construction equipment.

Torched were
road roller, a backhoe, grader and a dump truck.

Quoting the
firm’s security guards, Simangan said the armed men quietly arrived in the firm’s
ground equipment compound and identify themselves as NPAs.”

After setting on
fire the construction equipment, the suspects left letters addressed to the
construction company owner and to South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes.

Simangan said
extortion was the likely motive.

AJ
Construction Company has been working on road expansion project in T’boli, an
upland town in South Cotabato.

Last December
8, communist guerrillas also attacked a construction firm’s compound in
adjacent Lake Sebu town, also in South Cotabato after its owner ignored extortion
demand.

The attack in
Barangay Lamfugon left two security guards killed and five others wounded,
according to town Mayor Antonio Fungan.

Fungan said the
rebels have been extorting protection” money from Gemma Construction company working
on a road project that will connect Barangay Upper Sepaka to Barangay Lamfugon.