Insurgents kill 22 in daring raid on factory

Manila: At least 22 people died on Wednesday in after insurgents raided a wood products factory in southern Philippines' Surigao del Sur, reports said.

Inspector Darwin Yu, chief of the Investigation and Detection Division of the Surigao del Sur, Philippine National Police, said an undetermined number of New Peoples' Army rebels attacked the compound of the privately-owned Surigao del Sur Development Corporation (Sudecor) in the village of Pakwan in Lanuza town Wednesday.

The raiders swooped into the compound around 10am and held hostage for several hours employees of the plywood manufacturing firm. The attackers disarmed Sudecor's private security guards before setting fire to the company's heavy equipment parked inside the compound. Among the equipment destroyed were bulldozers and chainsaws.

Army's response

In a report by the Bombo Radio station in Surigao del Sur, Yu said the raiders occupied the Sudecor compound for several hours until government soldiers arrived and mounted a counter attack.

Major Michele Anayron Jr, information chief of the Philippine Army's 4I Infantry Division, said most of the government casualties resulted after a vehicle carrying soldiers struck a landmine.

He said among the fatalities were eight government soldiers, three security guards of Sudecor and one policeman. Anayron said that they have received reports that the attacking insurgents suffered as many as ten of its fighters killed.