Wednesday, June 19, 2013

AFP slams rebels for brutal Agusan Del Sur attack

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19): AFP slams rebels for brutal Agusan Del Sur attack

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan on Wednesday scored the New People's Army (NPA) rebels for their brazen attack on "agro-forestry" corporation in in Sitio Kamarangan, Barangay Milagros, Esperanza town, Agusan Del Sur, which resulted in the death of five people Tuesday morning.

“The incident is not a form of armed struggle but an outright criminal act. Their armed struggle has degenerated to criminal acts which put innocent civilian lives in danger, and causes serious damage to their livelihood,” Tutaan stressed.

He added that this attack by the NPA is a heinous crime, and violates human rights, Republic Act 9851 (Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law), and International Humanitarian Law.

"These atrocious violations are what the people of Agusan have been clamoring for the NPA to end," the AFP spokesperson pointed out.

In a report by the 4th Infantry Division , more or less 40 armed men believed to be members of the NPA put ablaze the heavy equipment owned by the Shannalyne Corporation around 9: 30 a.m. Tuesday.

The latter was reportedly hired by the Esperanza local government unit for the land preparation in the planting of Acacia Mangium trees over a land awarded through the certificate of ancestral domain title granted to the Higaonons in the area.

Aside from this, the rebels killed five civilians, including an elderly pastor.

Tutaan said that two infantry companies of the 26th Infantry Battalion are now conducting pursuit operations against the rebels.

While another infantry company presently consolidated at 402nd Infantry Brigade in Bancasi, Butuan City was alerted to reinforce the pursuing troops.

Likewise, two UH-1H "Huey" helicopters that are pre-positioned at TOG-10 headquarters in Lumbia Airport in Cagayan De Oro City were dispatched to facilitate aerial troop insertion.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=535913

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