Suspected communists burn banana firm’s packing facility

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines -- Suspected New People's Army rebels again burned equipment used in banana plantations in the province of North Cotabato Wednesday evening, just two days after suspected rebels burned a truck owned by another banana company in Makilala, North Cotabato.

This time, the suspected communist rebels targeted a mobile packing facility owned by banana-giant Dole-Stanfilco in the village of Luvimin here.

However, Robert Juligao, warehouse manager of Dole-Stanfilco assigned in Makilala, said the company was clueless on whether rebels were behind the attack.

"The Front 51 of the NPA operating in Makilala, Kidapawan, and Magpet areas, was tagged as behind the torching of a sprayer truck owned by AMS last Monday in Makilala," Chief Superintendent Casimiro Medes, spokesperson of the Central Mindanao police said.

Medes said like Monday's burning of the AMS truck, the police suspected that the attack on Dole also has something to do with the NPA's alleged extortion activities.

"Those who refuse to (pay revolutionary taxes) are subjected to harassment or burning of company equipment and properties," he said.(Edwin Fernandez)