Suspected New People's Army guerillas set fire to a cargo truck owned by the Alter Trade Corp. in Brgy. Tabun-ak, Toboso, on Sunday, days after they clashed with rival communist faction red fighters and Army soldiers in the adjacent town of Calatrava.

Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday said the cargo truck loaded with banana and driven by Noel Bautista, was on its way to Sitio Bato-Bato, Brgy. Tabun-ak, Toboso, when it was flagged down by three unidentified men with handguns.

Manangquil said the three, two of them minors, ordered Bautista to bring the truck to an isolated area of the sitio. After they continuously blew the horn of the truck, the three were joined by about 20 of their comrades.

Immediately, the rebels poured gasoline on the truck and set it on fire, Manangquil said. The Alter Trade Corporation, which is managed by some former members of the NPA, are engaged in export-import business of moscovado and banana, police investigations showed

Senior Inspector Romeo Leyte, Toboso police chief, said Bautista and his helper, Ondo Tejones, were left unharmed by the rebels. ATC president Norma Mugar said the Toyota Commando truck is the concrete link of Alter Trade to the marginal banana growers. "It is a symbol of the (banana) growers' hope for a better life from their farming activities," Mugar added.

ATC buys bananas worth P25,000 from Toboso and Calatrava growers, which are picked up twice a month, she said. In her appeal to priest-turned rebel Frank Fernandez, secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, Mugar said, "Please have pity on them, especially in these times of economic crisis", referring to the banana growers.

The truck-burning incident can only be detrimental to the interest of the marginal producers which ATC serves, Mugar added.

Meanwhile, Bautista said he was told by the NPA that they were merely complying with an order, but did not elaborate further.

Manangquil said they noted that the rebels have stepped up their extortion activities in northern Negros.*GPB

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