NPA atrocities continue amid intensified military ops

From the Daily Tribune (Apr 26): NPA atrocities continue amid intensified military ops

Despite intensified military operations ordered by President Aquino against the New People’s Army (NPA), communist rebels continued to launch atrocities in some parts of Mindanao, attacking police station and kidnapping a soldier in Compostela Valley province and harassing military detachments in Davao del Sur.

Military reports showed that NPA rebels attacked a police station in Mabini town at around 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday, or a day after the President ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to crush NPA roadblocks in various parts of the country.

“Fragments believed to be of M203 were recovered at the area and the suspects are believed to be NPA members,” military reports stated.

The explosion happened while there was no electricity in the area. No casualty was reported during the attack.

In Davao del Sur, undetermined number of NPA rebels simultaneously attacked the headquarters of the Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Pandaitan, Paquibato District, Davao City, and a detachment in Sitio Pigdalahan also in the said village at around 11 p.m. also on Tuesday.

“The perpetrators positioned more or less 200 meters from the southwest of the battalion headquarters and fired more or less five rounds of M16,” military reports said.

At the detachment, more or less 20 rounds of M16 were fired.

On Wednesday, NPA rebels also abducted Pfc. Jesus Tomas, a member of the Peace and Development Team of the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Elizalde, Maco town at around 6:45 a.m.

Yesterday, pursuing elements of the 66th IB caught up with the NPA band believed to have been responsible in the kidnapping of Tomas along Barangay Apogon in nearby Nabunturan town, also in Compostela Valley.

Lt. Vilma Mojano, spokesman of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID), said that an NPA fighter was killed during the clash.

She said that more or less 30 NPA rebels were encountered. Five M16 rifles and an M14 rifle were recovered from the scene.

Last Monday, President Aquino directed the AFP and the PNP to crush NPA roadblocks following the ambush against Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona, wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, along Barangay Binakalan in Gingoog City, killing three civilians.

The NPA admitted responsibility over the ambush and accused Mrs. Guingona’s group of ignoring an NPA roadblock in the area.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/13362-npa-atrocities-continue-amid-intensified-military-ops