Policeman Killed as Communists Storm Philippines Banana Farm

MANILA, Philippines — Communist rebels attacked a banana farm associated with Dole Foods Co. Thursday and a land mine hit a security vehicle rushing to intervene, killing one and wounding three others, the military said. Village officials and police tried to respond to the pre-dawn plantation attack in southern Makilala in North Cotabato province, but their vehicle hit a mine planted by suspected rebels, said regional military spokesman Maj. Armand Rico. He said an official was killed and three policemen wounded. Rico said the farm, which grows bananas exclusively for Dole, had received an extortion letter and the raid — in which equipment was torched — was probably because of its refusal to pay so-called "revolutionary taxes" to the rebels. The Maoist insurgents, the New People's Army, have recently stepped up attacks across... [read full story]