Leftist Philippine rebels raid poultry farm: Army

MANILA (AFP) - Communist guerrilla rebels raided a poultry farm in the southern Philippines and torched two buildings after the owner ignored their extortion demands, the military said today.

Thousands of chickens were killed after rebels from the New People's Army set fire to the buildings in a pre-dawn attack on Friday, military spokesman Captain Alberto Caber told reporters. The rebels later contacted the farm owner Onyx Go by telephone, threatening to return with gasoline and matchsticks unless he agreed to pay up 60,000 pesos (S$1,770) a month, according to a military statement.

The raid marked the second such attack on businesses owned by Mr Go since last year, when his chicken shop in a nearby town was ransacked by the rebels, Capt Caber said.

The Maoist NPA has been waging a decades-old guerrilla campaign that has cost tens of thousands of lives. Earlier this month the Philippine government said it hoped to resume peace talks with the communist rebels, after announcing a peace agreement with Muslim rebels who also operate in the restive south.