By NITZ ARANCON Correspondent NEW People’s Army (NPA) rebels who burned a tank truck in an outlying village in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental on Monday, had planned to stage an ambush against the government troops, the commander of the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion said yesterday. Col. Francis  Carandang said this even as he ordered soldiers under his battalion to launch pursuit operations against the rebels in coordination with the National Police. Carandang said the rebels took a strategic position in order to ambush soldiers and police officers in Sitio Solo, Barangay San Juan, but eventually settled for the truck when government troops did not pass. Carandang said the truck, owned by Andot  Madronero, was supposed to bring fuel for the equipment of Del Monte Philippines in a plantation in Barangay Tipolohon,  Claveria, Misamis  Oriental. He said it was flagged down by about 20 rebels, based on a witness’ account, at around 9 am Monday, and then set afire. Carandang said the truck burning was a diversionary  tactic to lessen the pressure against other NPA rebels in Barangay Kaulayanan, Lagongong where the military launched  offensives. “The action of the  NPAs only shows that they are not for peace... They are targeting soft economic targets in order to force the government to  return to the negotiating table,” Carandang said.