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GENERAL SANTOS City– Police authorities in South Cotabato province tagged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) as behind the burning of a prime mover last week in the outskirts of Surallah town.

Supt. Benito Seron, Surallah police chief, said Thursday they received reports that the three suspects who torched the truck owned by foreign-backed banana firm Sumifru Philippines Inc. were NPA members operating in the area.

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He said they are investigating reports that the rebels have been reportedly trying to extort “revolutionary taxes” from the company, which is based in T’boli town.

Based on their initial investigation, he said three unidentified men initially boarded the prime mover truck as it left Sumifru’s packing plant in Sitio Tabudtud, Barangay New Dumangas in T’boli at past midnight.

But after reaching Crossing Lambuntong in Barangay Lamsugod, Surallah, he said the suspects held the truck’s driver and commandeered the vehicle.

“They stopped the truck near a farm compound, ordered the driver to flee and then burned it,” he said in a radio interview.

The truck’s driver, who was identified as Roel Palara Araño of Barangay Bulacan, Malalag town in Davao del Sur, was not harmed by the rebels.

He told police that aside from the three suspects, seven other men were waiting at the scene of the incident.

“They were reportedly armed and identified themselves as NPA members,” the police official said.

Seron said the driver immediately fled from the scene and called for help from nearby residents.

Responding residents were able to put out the fire and saved the prime mover truck from getting totally burned.

The Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion immediately launched pursuit operations against the suspects in parts of Surallah and T’boli towns. pna

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