ZAMBOANGA
Communist guerillas torched at least ten pieces of heavy equipment belonging to a private quarrying company in the southern Philippines, a day after two rebels died in a clash with security forces.
Cpt. Alberto Caber, spokesperson for the army’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said Wednesday members of the New People's Army attacked a quarry in Kitao-tao town of Bukidnon province at around 16.30 local time (10.30 Turkish time) Tuesday.
Authorities are still verifying information regarding the motives behind the attack.
According to Caber, an investigation has revealed the company had received threats prior to the attack.
Meanwhile, two communist rebels were killed Monday in an hour-long clash with security forces in southern Davao del Norte province.
An AK-47 assault rifle was recovered from one of the slain guerillas.
The New People's Army -- the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines -- has been waging an insurgency since 1969 that has left tens of thousands of people dead.
Philippine authorities have tagged the rebels as notorious extortionists and blamed them for harassing banana, pineapple and rubber plantations, as well as poultry farms and mining outfits.
President Benigno Aquino had aimed to reach a peace deal with the communists by the end of his term in 2016, but talks collapsed in February last year due to rebel demands that detained comrades be freed.
The two panels could not reach an agreement on a "special track," which sought to speed up the negotiation process that has been on and off since the presidency of Benigno’s mother, Corazon.
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