ILOILO CITY — For refusal to give “extortion money,” the farm tractor of Mrs. Ligaya Lipura of Barangay Pakwan in Lemery, Iloilo was torched Saturday morning by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) under Romulo Gangoso, alias Regan, the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army said Saturday.

1Lt Mark Andrew Posadas, head of the department of public affairs office of the army, said Mrs. Lipura’s tractor was burned after she refused to give the P50,000 demanded by the NPA suspects every time she harvests her crops.

Also, Mrs. Lipura is running for mayor in the town of Lemery, and that she has refused offers from the same group to pay for the Permit to Campaign and Permit to win in the area, Posadas said.
Gangoso’s group, he said, was once a part of the Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay Eastern Front covering eastern Panay, which was dismantled by government forces in 2008.

Posadas said Gangoso’s group wanted their presence to be felt in this area to ease military operations in Southern and Central Panay.

Posadas assured that this was just an isolated incident in the otherwise peaceful island of Panay.
Investigation is being undertaken by the PNP-Lemery, and the Provincial Mobile Group. Charges of destruction to private property and grave threats are being prepared by the police and military against Gangoso and his group.

Likewise, 3ID Commanding general Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto has directed his men in the 47th infantry battalion to intercept the NPAs, believed to be still hiding in the area.