Soldiers thwart NPA plan to extort from Catanduanes gubernatorial bet

From InterAksyon (Apr 30): Soldiers thwart NPA plan to extort from Catanduanes gubernatorial bet

Soldiers foiled Tuesday a plan by at least 10 communist rebels to set up a checkpoint and exact campaign fees from a gubernatorial bet in Catanduanes province.

The soldiers were deployed Tuesday as New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were spotted about to set up the checkpoint near where the convoy of gubernatorial candidate Joseph Cua was to pass.

The soldiers and the rebels engaged in a firefight at 9:45 a.m. in Barangay Hilaw-an, San Andres, Catanduanes, according to Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division. He cited a report by Lt. Col. Bernardo Fortez, commanding officer of the 83rd Infantry Battalion, that the commander of the 91st Division Reconnaissance Company sent 2Lt. Jaison Alabado and his men to the area after they received information on the rebel sighting.

Fortez said, “Our troops encountered the rebels at the hillsides. Our soldiers said the rebels were preparing to set up a checkpoint intended for the convoy of gubernatorial candidate Joseph Cua.”

He said the 10-minute firefight resulted in the wounding of Private First Class Christopher B. Briguela below the right knee, Fortez said.

Soldiers recovered an M16 rifle with magazine and a backpack containing subversive documents during pursuit operations.

Briguela is being treated at the Juan M. Alberto Memorial District Hospital in San Andres town.
    
Cua was campaigning in the area with a relative, Peter Cua, who is running for mayor in San Andres town. Fortez said the rebels were led by Jimboy Lucero alias Ka Jason, whose group was in charge of collecting campaign fees from poll bets. Fortez said Lucero “was also known as the rebel leader who terrorized residents of Barangay San Vicente, San Andres three weeks ago by telling residents that he is going to kill someone among them if barangay officials would not provide them with logistical support.”

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/60687/soldiers-thwart-npa-plan-to-extort-from-catanduanes-gubernatorial-bet