CAGAYAN de Oro City —Fifteen rebels from the communist New People’s Army stormed two private companies in Bukidnon on Saturday, army officials said.
The guerrillas entered the construction compound of the proposed 10.6 megawatt Pulanai Hydroelectric Power Plant at Zone 11, Hangaron, Barangay Lumbayao, an outskirt community of Valencia City.
It is the same power project whose groundbreaking ceremony President Rodrigo Duterte graced in December.
Duterte even asked in his speech the NPAs to spare the project from their attacks as the Pulanai plant, was owned and operated by Repower Energy Development Corp.
Officials said the NPAs confiscated the cellphones of the workers and ordered them to go out of the said compound.
Witnesses told the army the NPAs fired several shots after laying some Improvised Explosive Devices inside the compound.
Col Antonio Bautista Jr., 8IB commanding officer, said troops responded, including a team from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
The power plant, one of power-generation facilities envisioned to boost the economic activity in the area, will cater to the electric requirements of Mindanao.
At 10 p.m. Saturday, another NPA group burned down two spray trucks owned by Davco Agri Venture Corp. in Brgy. Merangiran, Quezon, Bukidnon.
According to police, the company’s refusal to give in to NPA extortion demand was the motive.
Maj. Gen Benjamin Madrigal Jr., 4ID commander, rapped the NPA attack and promised there would be no let-up in their pursuit operations.
“We are one with the peace-loving people of Bukidnon in condemning this terror group. I have ordered my line units that there will be no let-up in our operation. We shall see to it that we will hit them harder until they cease in doing their atrocities in the area.” Madrigal said.