Extortion eyed in Lake Sebu heavy equipment burning

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police are eyeing extortion by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels as behind last Friday's burning of a heavy equipment in a remote village in Lake Sebu town, South Cotabato.

Insp. Ricky Frias, deputy chief of the Lake Sebu municipal police station, said Monday they received reports that the owner of the burned backhoe, Gemma Construction Supply Inc., had received extortion demands from the rebels.

Frias said the backhoe was parked near the road project site in Sitio Lamfenek, Barangay Lamfugon when it was burned by at least 10 suspected NPA rebels at around 10 p.m.

The suspects reportedly razed the equipment cement bags and fired several shots before leaving the scene, he said.

Frias said the suspects did not harm the backhoe operator identified as Mervin Papa.

"It was similar to what happened before involving several heavy equipment owned by the company," he said, referring to the burning by NPA rebels of four heavy equipment assigned to the same project by the Koronadal City-based construction firm in 2015.

The Department of Public Works and Highways had contracted the company for the concreting of road project connecting the municipality of Maitum in Sarangani and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.

Frias said the suspects were believed to be members of the NPA's Front 73, adding that a police team had been sent to secure the area. The Army's 27th Infantry Battalion had also deployed additional troops to secure the site and pursue the suspects. (PNA)