Village official killed, three police wounded in Philippine attack

Manila - A village official was killed and three police wounded Thursday in a landmine explosion as they responded to an attack by communist rebels on a banana plantation in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said. A group of guerrillas barged into the plantation owned by Dole Philippines in Luna Norte village in Makilala town, North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, and burned heavy equipment, Major Armand Rico said. The regional military spokesman said the attack was apparently in retaliation for the company's refusal to pay "revolutionary taxes." "Village officials and police responded to the incident immediately, but upon reaching Luna Norte, a landmine exploded along the way, resulting in the death of a village councilor and the wounding of three cops," he said. Rico said troops have been... [read full story]