IED blast in Surigao Del Sur banana plantation

CAMP RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – A ten wheeler truck owned by DOLE Stanfilco was damaged Monday by alleged members of communist-New People’s Army (NPA) at the vicinity of Block 9, Sanguenza Quarry, Sitio Kabalawan, Barangay Anajao Da-an, in Tago town, Surigao del Sur, reported regional police spokesman Supt. Martin M. Gamba, on Tuesday.

He said the Tago Municipal Police Station (MPS) together with Provincial Crime Laboratory Office (PCLO) immediately conducted post blast investigation and found out that the ten wheeler sprayer truck of DOLE was damaged by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Quoting a flash report from Tago MPS and PCLO, Supt. Gamba said the IED was placed underneath the sprayer truck by alleged 7 members of NPA led by certain “Asari”.

Further investigation disclosed that the perpetrators were alleged members of Platoon 19-B of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

The Driver of the ten wheeler sprayer truck was not harmed during the incident, he said.

“Our ground personnel are still in the area conducting investigation and motive of the incident while combat manoeuvering troops of the Army’s 401st Infantry (Unite N” Fight) Brigade are still pursuing the perpetrators,” added Supt. Gamba.

Pursuing government troops are now heading towards Mount Tagcapa of Anajao Da-an area.

Meanwhile, combined maneuvering troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) are still in a wide pursuit operation in an effort to recapture the snatched construction equipment and operator allegedly by the NPA’s in the provincial boundary of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley (ComVal), Supt. Gamba said.

The equipment, owned by the EQUIPARCO Construction Company based at Barangay Ambago, this city was constructing a project under the Mindanao Rural Development Project (MRDP) when snatched by undetermined number of armed men believed to be members of NPA at around 2 p.m. last Thursday along the national road junction in Barangay Langkilaan, Trento, Agusan del Sur, added the regional PRO 13 spokesman.

The Trento Crisis Management Committee led by the local officials there are helping to resolve the incident and immediate release of the equipment and the operator from the suspects, he said. –Manila Bulletin