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By Al Jacinto, Correspondent
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Filipino communist rebels raided
Monday a telecommunication facility in Mindanao island, security
officials said.
Officials said New People’s Army rebels
attacked the facility owned by cellular phone giant Globe Telecom,
Inc. at around 5.30 a.m. in the village of San Vicente, Montevista
in Compostela Valley.
The raiders also carted away firearms of
security guards before torching telecom equipment, said Colonel
Benito Antonio De Leon, spokesman for the Army’s 10th Infantry
Division.
“This shows the real colors of the insurgents
and even communication facilities are not spared. These facilities
are vital and important and they can save lives in emergency
situations,” de Leon told The Manila Times.
The motive of the attack is still unknown, but
authorities said previous NPA assaults on telecommunication
facilities and mining firms in Mindanao were triggered by the failed
extortion efforts of the rebels.
Singapore Telecommunications owns 45% of Globe;
diversified corporation Ayala owns one-quarter. The company provides
local and long distance telecommunications services to more than 12
million wireless subscribers throughout the Philippines.
Just last week, the NPA owned up to the attack
on a mining firm, Apex Mining Company, in Maco town, also in
Compostela Valley.
The rebels said the raid on March 6 was
punishment for the firm’s failure to pay so-called
“revolutionary taxes” and for environment destruction.
Apex is partly owned by Crew Gold Corporation
based in London with interests in Lefa Corridor Gold Project in
Guinea, Nalunaq Gold Mine in Greenland and the Maco Gold Mine in the
Philippines.
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