BY VICTOR REYES

SOME 50 New People’s Army rebels attacked a gold mine in Compostela Valley Thursday night and fled with firearms after burning several pieces of equipment.

Lt. Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said the rebel band arrived at 7 p.m. at the Apex Mining Co. in Masara village, Maco town aboard a bus and two dump trucks and immediately disarmed the security guards.

They then burned a pay loader and four trucks, and carted away five M16 rifles, two shot guns, two.38 cal. revolvers and four hand-held radios.

Apex is part owned by Crew Minerals, which changed its name to Crew Gold Corp. late last year.

De Leon could not say why the rebels attacked the mining firm although it is common for insurgents to harass companies that do not pay "revolutionary tax."

De Leon said at least 800 rebels are operating in the area of responsibility of 10th Infantry Division based in Davao.

Last month, two security guards were killed in an attack on a gold processing plant also in the Compostela Valley.