Philippinnes: Armed men chop DOLE banana plants

Armed men believed to be NPA guerillas chopped down undetermined number of banana plants 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Ortiz and Pagaran areas of DOLE STANFILCO, located at Brgy. Anahao Daan, Tago in Surigao del Sur.

Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office reported to the regional police headquarters here that the armed group accordingly entered forcibly and destroyed the stockroom of the said company and took away number of rubber shoes. A security guard whom police identified as Isidro Dalagan and an employee of DOLE identified also as Romeo Laurente were reportedly missing. After chopping down a considerable number of banana hills, the group accordingly withdrew towards the mountainous area of the place heading in a southwest direction.

Tago Police are now conducting a deeper probe into the incident while a joint operation of the Surigao del Sur Police Public safety Company and 29th Infantry Battalion, PA are now conducting a hot pursuit operation against the perpetrators.

Based on Police Regional Office XIII risk assessment of vital installations, DOLE Philippines in Tago, Surigao del Sur ranks No. 1 in the high risk level. It is followed by SUMIFRO in Surigao del Sur and Geen Stone Mining in Surigao del Norte. The SRMI Mining in Agusan del Norte, JCA Rubber Plantation in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur and the Power Barge in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte followed as Nos. 4, 5 and 6th respectively and were placed at medium risk levels.

Source: www.zambotimes.com