After a series of attacks by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, multinational banana firm Dole-Stanfilco has decided to shut down its operations in Mindanao, the Southern island of the Philippines.
This amounts to the loss of 1,500 jobs working on the 400-hectare plantation.
Why? The company said that the losses incurred because of the NPA rebels have become too much, Inquirer reports.
Dole-Stanfilco estimated at least a PHP20M loss because of the attacks which came after the company continuously refused to pay revolutionary tax.
Just a few days ago, NPA rebels reportedly blasted a truck with explosives. Dole-Stanfilco has lost a total of seven trucks this year.
The company has already sent a notice to Department of Labor and Employment saying that it will indefinitely shut down its operations starting on Tue.
The displaced workers held a peaceful march-rally here earlier this week to denounce the NPA’s attacks.
“Where now are their claims that they are soldiers of the masses that will look after our welfare? We are here not to fight with arms but to condemn the extortion activities of the NPAs which cost our livelihood,” said Concepcion Jumao-as, who spoke at the rally.
“Before, they use gasoline in torching the trucks but lately they already use bombs,” she added.
The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier hoped to enter into a ceasefire agreement with the group but he eventually lifted the ceasefire when the rebel group snubbed his ultimatum.
