By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga 

The New People’s Army (NPA) have allegedly burned down two heavy equipment at Barangay Cabi-an’s Purok Magboto in Negros Occidental’s Candoni town on Saturday night, November 5.

Candoni municipal police chief Major Ronald Santillan said, based on their investigation prior to the arson attack, one of the rebels was heard saying, “Katig-a sang ulo sang amo niyo.”

The rebels then broke the windshield and set the two heavy equipment — a backhoe and a road roller — on fire.

The heavy equipment was estimated at P12 million and owned by Silver Dragon Construction Incorporated.

Police were not able to respond to the area immediately as the road was difficult to access. 

There were concerns that the NPA may be setting up an ambush against responding government forces. 

The police personnel conducted checkpoints together with the Philippine Army.

Police believe the arson attack stemmed from the company’s refusal to pay revolutionary taxes./DGB, WDJ