GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels burned a warehouse of a banana packing plant in a remote village in Tupi town in South Cotabato on Thursday night.
Chief Insp. Bernie Faldas, chief of the Tupi municipal police station, said Friday at least six armed suspects stormed the packing plant operated by Dole Stanfilco at sitio Kalpisot, Barangay Lunen at around 7 p.m.
He said the suspects immediately disarmed the facility’s duty security guard identified as Rio Alegria, confiscated the cellphones of six workers and directed them to proceed to its main gate.
“They were told that they will not be harmed and were only after the burning of the warehouse,” Faldas said in a radio interview.
The police official said the suspects then poured gasoline at the “mini agri-bodega” and set it on fire.
He said the armed men then hastily left the area and believed headed to the mountainous portions of the village.
Citing the circumstances of the attack, which left a damage of around P500,000, Faldas said the motive appears to be plain intimidation and part of the extortion activities of the suspects.
“Our investigation is still ongoing and we’re currently establishing the identities of those involved in the attack,” he said.
Faldas added that the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion has already launched pursuit operations against the suspects. (PNA)
