Rebels release more hostages, threaten to increase attacks

Manila: Communist rebels released two more hostages yesterday while airing several demands and threatening to attack more mining firms following simultaneous attacks in the south on Monday.

The two hostages who work for Taganito Mining Corp (TMC) in Claver town, Surigao del Norte were released and not harmed by members of the New Peoples Army (NPA).

The rebel group had released two other hostages immediately after attacking TMC's compound disguised as policemen on Monday, Police Superintendent Martin Gamba, police spokesman said.

The names of the two hostages were not released for security reasons, said Gamba. Another leftist group attacked a nickel processing plant, Taganito HPAL Corporation, also on Monday.

The two heavily damaged TMC facilities, led by Manuel Zamora, are part of Nickel Asia Corporation, and partly owned by Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd and Mitsui & Co Ltd.

Meanwhile, authorities have denied earlier reports that three disarmed security personnel were killed following another NPA attacks at Platinum Metals Group Corporation (PMGC) in Cagdianao village (Claver town) last Monday. PMGC is operated by a Vancouver-based company.

Communist warning

At the same time, Maria Malaya, spokesperson of the communist National Democratic Front, the political arm of the 45-year old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the NPA, claimed responsibility for the three attacks on mining firms which were accused of repressing workers right, failing to pay regional taxes, and ravaging Surigao's Claver town for 30 years.

"Instead of remitting pesos 400 million [Dh33.53 million] in taxes to the [local government], through sheer bribery, the company is now only giving P 40 million pesos. It is only right to punish this company," Malaya said in a statement.

The attacks, Malaya explained, were "implementation of the policy of the revolutionary movement related to the protection of the environment and natural resources and the defense of the rights of the Lumad [indigenous] people, peasants, and workers."

"Stop all mining operations and construction of the nickel ore processing plants," Malaya threatened, adding the warning was addressed to all all mining and logging companies in the Caraga region.

The attacks were warnings, not reactions to alleged unrequited demands for revolutionary taxes, said Malaya, adding there would be more attacks against mining companies which he did not identify.

Although dozens of Japanese nationals are safe at TMC's facilities, Nickel Asia, the mother firm, has decided to suspend its operations indefinitely, affecting 4,000 to 5,000 workers.