BACOLOD CITY - Unidentified armed men believed to be members of the New People's Army (NPA) burned a backhoe at Sitio Cagay, Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental on Thursday.
According to Maj. James Latayon, Sipalay City police chief, about 30 to 50 armed men arrived and told the employees to leave the area.
After a while, a loud blast was heard, and as it allegedly turned out, the armed men placed an improvised electronic device (IED) on the hydraulic system of the backhoe, causing damage to the equipment. The perpetrators then left.
Latayon said the equipment costs P8 million to P10 million, although the actual cost of damage has yet to be determined.
Although there was no confirmation yet, the police suspect the NPA may have been behind the incident.
Latayon said there had been no threats against the operator or owner of a construction firm prior to the incident.
Early this month, suspected NPA rebels were also tagged behind the burning of a backhoe worth P7 million in a quarry site at Sitio Nandong, Barangay Orong, Kabankalan City on March 4.