Truck loaded of bananas burned in Compostela Valley

Miami
April 20, 2008
Story: Truck loaded of bananas burned in Compostela Valley

A truck loaded with estimated one thousand boxes of bananas for export was burned by alleged members of New People’s Army in Compostela valley.

According to Sr. Insp. Conrado Budac of Compostela Provincial Police Office, the 40-footer truck was on its way to its warehouse in Davao when it was blocked by six unidentified armed men at Kilometer 93, Bgy. Magsaysay, Nabunturan Town of Comval province.

The truck has only two passengers, the driver and his helper, “The suspects asked the driver and its helper to go down and leave, since they were armed, the driver and the helper followed the suspects order and leave the place for fear of their lives,” Budac said.

The incident occurred last April 18 at around 10:30 pm.

The suspects pour gasoline on the tires of the truck and to its side then set it on fire. All the bananas loaded into the truck were burned.

Estimated damages was about Php 4.1 million. The driver and the helper were not hurt by the suspects.

On the initial investigation, Budac said, the suspects burned the said truck loaded with bananas due to exploitation on the laborers or employees of the banana growers.

The suspects immediately escaped the area after they set fire on the truck.