Reds shoot down banana plantation plane as Punishment

By BEN SERRANO
Correspondent

BUTUAN City–The New People’s Army (NPA) on Monday owned the responsibility for shooting and forcing a plane into crash landing in Barangay Sta. Fe in Tagbina town, Surigao del Sur over the weekend.

The spokesman of the NPA in northeastern Mindanao, Ka Ariel Montero, said the attack was a punitive action for the aerial spraying of destructive chemicals over the banana plantation of Sumifru Corp..

Montero warned against the aerial spraying over banana plantations in Caraga, saying the chemicals were harful to public health and the environment.

“Such dangerous practice of lethal and toxic aerial spray have been discontinued in other places like Davao City because of the people’s opposition in Davao due to its proven harmful and deadly effect.

“But with the capitalists’ greed for profit and utter disregard of its harmful effects to environment and people, Sumifru, Dole and Del Monte banana plantations found here in Caraga Region and also in other parts of Mindanao continued to implement aerial spraying,” reads part of an NPA statement.

The NPA said it was behind the March 26 shooting of the plane piloted by one Capt. Magbanua in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.

Montero said a wing and a wheel of the plane were struck, forcing it to crash land. He said the pilot was unhurt.

Montero also accused Sumifru of land grabbing.

“This punitive action also serves as a warning so they will not suffer the same fate of Capt. Magbanua. We call upon you to look for other uses of your airplanes,” reads part of the NPA statement.