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Monday, July 21, 2008
Rebels attack mining firm; 2 soldiers wounded
DAVAO CITY -- The New People's Army (NPA) attacked Sunday a mining firm in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur and wounded two soldiers who responded to the company's call for help.
Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Major Armand Rico said the attack happened shortly past midnight Sunday in Sitio Datal Nabong in Barangay Kimlawis.
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Rico said the rebels torched the drilling equipment of the United Philippine Drilling (UDP), one of the exploration contractors of Sagittarius Mining Inc. (SMI).
The group allegedly led by Ka Jamjam and Joyjoy also disarmed the security guards assigned there. A total of 10 shotguns, one .30 cal. M1 Garand, and a .38 cal. revolver were stolen by the rebels.
The rebels fled south after burning the drilling machine of SMI, and clashed with the responding Philippine Army's infantry battalion. Two soldiers were wounded in the fight.
The SMI has been operating in the tri-boundaries of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, and Davao del Sur. It is developing one of the major copper-gold deposits in the country -- the Tampakan project.
Rico said this is the second attack on SMI this year as, in the early hours of January 1, the NPA also attacked the SMI camp and burned its buildings and facilities. The security personnel were also disarmed at that time.
The NPA's Valentin Palamine Command also listed SMI's former president Paul G. Dominguez in its hit list sometime in March 2008 because of his involvement in the exploration in Tampakan, South Cotabato.
Incidentally, Dominguez resigned as president of SMI when Xstrata acquired a majority stake in the company last April 1, 2007. (BOT/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (July 21, 2008 issue)
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