Chester Clark Yee, a 32-year-old businessman from Surigao City, sent Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo (BMPM) photos of the aftermath of the New People’s Army (NPA) raid of Taganito Mining Corporation in Taganito Claver, Surigao del Norte.

Posting on BMPM’s Facebook page, Chester said the rebels told passengers of 4 commuter vans stranded for hours during the raid, that they had three main demands:  
"-Taasan ang mga sahod ng mga manggagawa (Increase the salaries of workers)
"-Ayosin ang royalty ng mga nitibo (improve royalties on nickel)
"-Gawing permanente ang mga matatagal na sa trabaho” (make permanent the status of long-time workers).  

Yee said he was on a van on the way to Cantillan, Surigao Sur, when 2 dump trucks full of men in fatigues overtook them.

In a telephone interview with BMPM, Yee said he thought the trucks were ferrying government troops.
“Meron nakataling yellow ribbon sa mga armalite,” Yee said. (Yellow ribbons were tied around some of the rifles.) 

But a few minutes later, they saw empty trucks blocking the highway.

Yee said their van tried to inch through the blockade only to be stopped several meters down the road.

The passengers of the four vans were not harmed, Yee said, although they were warned against taking photos of the rebels on pain of confiscation of mobile phones and cameras. 

“We stayed in some small carinderias,” Yee said, adding that entrance was at the back because the owners have been scared since a similar incident last year.

Commuters remained calm throughout the ordeal, Yee added.

“There was no panic. We just wanted to either go home or get to our appointments.”