06/06/2010 (Business Mirror) - NEW People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas raided a palm-oil plantation in Sultan Kudarat over the weekend and razed farm equipment, the military said.

The raid on the plantation in sitio Colon Barak, barangay Sucob, Columbio, happened at about 4 a.m. on Friday, said Capt. Emmanuel Garcia, spokesman for the Army’s 10th Infantry “Agila” Division.

The attack by 30 rebels, headed by Johnny Casamorin, alias Commander Lipid, was allegedly carried out because of the continued refusal of the plantation owner to pay revolutionary taxes.

More than a week ago, guerrillas also attacked a road project in Banay-banay, Davao Oriental, after its contractor reportedly refused to pay revolutionary taxes to the rebels.

Meanwhile, fresh troops arrived in the Davao region on Friday to help government forces there in ending the atrocities that were being committed by the NPA.

The Army’s 84th Infantry Battalion, led by Lt. Col. Kurt Decapia, arrived at Hijo Beach in Madaum, Tagum City, onboard a Navy vessel.

Local officials, led by Davao del Norte Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio, welcomed the soldiers.

“We assure our people that the arrival of new troops will not mean war but enhanced security measures to protect them. We have to put these criminals behind bars. The troops will work extra hard to ensure that peace and development efforts will be protected and that the rights of the people will be respected at all times,” Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, 10th ID commander, said.

In Manila, the military said the rebels have recruited and employed a total of 340 minors, aged mostly from 15 to 18, as regular fighters from 1999 to 2010.

Of the number, 209 surrendered to government forces, 119 were captured and 12 were killed in encounters.

It said the data supported the recent report of UN Special Rapporteur for Children in Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy that the NPA recruited and used children in its campaign against the government.

“The effects of this practice by the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA to the children are unthinkable. Some of the rescued children recounted how they were ordered to assassinate the entire family of a rebel returnee. These children were made to believe that violence is the only solution and the means of achieving one’s end,” said Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, commander of the Armed Forces Civil Relations Group.