By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
SOME 20 suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels ransacked a store in Barangay Kulasi, Sumilao, Bukidnon at dawn Wednesday. According to the military, it was because the establishment did not give the rebels money.
Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Diamond Division, said the said rebels barged into the Chen and Yap Agri Development Inc. (Cyadi) owned by Cecel Chen at around 4 am on Wednesday, and took two shotguns from the guards and some P3,700 from workers.
Martinez said Chen’s only “fault” was his failure to give in to the rebels’ extortion demands.
Jenry Emong, one of the workers, said she and her companions were helpless and scared while they watched how the rebels ransacked the establishment.
Finding no money, she said the rebels turned to the workers and forced them to give them their personal money.
“Grabe ang among kakulba kay abi namo’g patyon nami nila. Morag wala naman silay laing ikatabang sa katawhan. Kana nga kwarta nga ilang gikuha igo-igo ra na sa among pamilya. Amo silang gihangyo nga dili sunugon ang kumpanya kay mawad-an mi ug trabaho. Unsa nalang ang mahitabo sa among pamilya kung sunugon nila?” Emong asked.
According to Lt. Col. Peter Edwin Navarro, commander of the 1st Special Forces Battalion, the incident only showed how desperate the NPA rebels have become, and how they have turned into banditry.
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