Reds own up to Del Monte attack

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) have owned up to the recent attack against Del Monte Philippines, Inc. (DMPI) last week, calling it a “punitive action.”

In a press statement, Ka Malem Mabini, spokesman of NPA’s North Central Mindanao Region said their combatants from the Eastern Misamis Oriental-Northeastern Bukidnon unit successfully blocked and burned three vehicles rented by DMPI on May 19 at 10:10 am at sitio 24, Barangay Don Gregorio Pelaez in Claveria town.

Mabini said the hauler trucks were driven by Alberto Vicente bearing plate number KWA 163 owned by DUCSCO Trucking Service; the second truck was driven by Arsenio Pakres with plate number, RLM 275 belonging to Dolor Trucking Service and the third truck driven by Sunny Pallisa owned in Tobert Trucking Service.

All of the vehicles from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.

Mabini said their combatants confiscated six drums of crude oil from a forward truck owned by a certain Councilor Bebeng He of Barangay Aposkahoy, still in Claveria town. They did not burn the truck, he added.

Mabini said their checkpoint were able to flag some 50 individuals and 20 motorcycles. They packed up their checkpoint at about 11:58 of the same day.

He said the recent punitive action should serve as a warning to entrpreneurs who rent or charter vehicles and heavy equipment to DMPI.

The revolutionary movement, Mabini explained, is opposed to the expansion of plantations owned by multinational corporations in the areas in north central Mindanao region.

“We continue to impose punitive action to anyone who does not respect this policy,” he said.

Mabini also debunked the news that they attacked DMPI for failure to pay revolutionary taxes.

The hardening of Del Monte and other multinational corporations to continue their expansion even brought the “no expansion policy” after the disaster caused by Typhoon Sendong in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in December 2011, is the real cause (of the punitive action), he said.

“The shaving and leveling the mountains of Bukidnon caused the great flood of polluted water that swept away thousands of lives, homes, and livelihoods of people in these cities,” Mabini explained.