NPA rebels tagged for burning heavy equipment in NegOr

At least 11 heavy equipment owned by a mining company were burned down in Barangay Jandalamanon, Ayungon, Negros Oriental at around noon on New Year’s Day which state forces believe to be the work of the New People’s Army (NPA).

One backhoe and a payloader were totally damaged while the remaining 9 heavy equipment were partially burned in the attack.

In a statement sent to the media on Thursday, January 3, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)- Central Visayas Command (Centcom) said the resistance of the company that own the equipment, Pilipinas Eco-Friendly Mining Corporation, to give in to the demands of the NPA and the recent arrest and death of their identified members in Guihulngan City, might have angered them causing them to burn the equipment.

“This is another terroristic and desperate attack perpetrated by the NPA. They again targeted a legitimate company which is one of the sources of livelihood of the people in that area,” Lieutenant General Noel Clement, commander of Centcom, said in a statement.

Clement lashed at the group for their “total disregard to humanity and to the provisions set-forth in CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and  International Humanitarian Law).”

CARHRIHL is a treaty signed by the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in 1998 at The Hague, The Netherlands.

Under the treaty, civilians and their properties should be protected from attacks from both camps. 

Clement said they will continue to go after the rebel group to ensure that they will not be able to “sow fear” among the Negrenses.

“I already directed my ground commanders that there will be no let up on our pursuit operation. We will not let these terror group continue to sow fear among the peace-loving people in Negros,” Clement said./rcg