Suspected leftist rebels attack plantation in C. Philippines

Suspected members of leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) harassed and bombed a plantation in central Philippines on Sunday night, a military official said Monday.

Lieutenant General John S. Bonafos, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Central Command, said leftist rebels also burned a transloading crane and a sugar cane testing machine in a plantation in Mabini village, Escalante City in Negros Occidental province.

Bonafos said NPA guerillas attacked the plantation to extort money from the owner.

He said no one was hurt in the incident.

The Philippine Army has launched pursuit operations against the NPAs.

The 4,000-strong NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting a leftist insurgency in 60 Philippine provinces since 1969.