THE Army’s 4th Infantry Division yesterday raised the alert level in northern Mindanao and Caraga following a string of attacks, believed to be the handiwork of communist rebels, this week.
WOUNDED. PO3 Junar Juban, one of three policemen who were wounded when suspected New People’s Army rebels raided the police station of Kibawe, Bukidnon on Thursday. Another policeman was killed in the attack which came two weeks before the 45th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. (mindanews photo by H. Marcos Mordeno)
The Army did a day after suspected rebels raided a police station in Kibawe town in Bukidnon, killing a police officer and wounding three others.
But the suspected New People’s Army (NPA) attacks started a day earlier in neighboring Caraga region where four military detachments––in Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte––were raided since Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, 4th ID commander, ordered all military camps under his division to prepare and anticipate more attacks in the days leading to the Dec. 26 anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The military said the NPA has been unusually making its presence felt in the last two weeks.
Visaya said the NPA was responsible for the attacks on police stations in some areas of Mindanao, including Thursday’s raid in Kibawe town.
He said all military units under Camp Evangelista have gone on full alert.
Visaya said the military has intelligence reports that the rebels were planning a series of attacks and sabotage government operations as part of their Dec. 26 celebration.
He said all military offensives and non-combat operations would continue despite the attacks.
Capt. Christian Uy, Camp Evangelista spokesperson, said there were also reports that the rebels would step up their offensive operations when many soldier start going on vacation this Yuletide.
An attack by suspected New People’s Army rebels on the police station of Kibawe, Bukidnon on Dec. 12, 2013 left the walls of the building pockmarked with bullets. The attack also left a policeman dead and three others wounded. It came two weeks before the 45th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. (Mindanews photo by H. Marcos C. Mordeno)
Camp Alagar deputy regional director for administration Chief Supt. Lyndel Desquitado appealed for citizen cooperation by reporting suspicious groups or movements.
“This group is just waiting for opportunities to strike,” according to Desquitado.
He said police have already stepped up intelligence gathering operations and citizens can greatly help by providing authorities important information.
Desquitado said Camp Alagar has also beefed up police forces in critical areas of the region.
“The CPP-NPA has always been threatening to commit acts of terrorism every time the rebels’ anniversary nears,” said Desquitado.
In the Kibawe attack, suspected rebels reportedly carted away over a dozen firearms, mostly high-powered, from the police station.
Suspected rebels also intensified their offensives in Caraga region this week and killed a civilian in Surigao del Sur.
This Wednesday, suspected rebels attacked a detachment of the 29th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bangonay, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.
Some 20 suspected rebels also attacked a militia outpost of the 23rd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Baleguian, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, the same day.
The military said government and rebel forces briefly exchanged firepower but there was no casualty report.
In the evening of the same day, 30 suspected rebels attacked a patrol base of the 23rd IB in Barangay Payapag, Bacuag, Surigao del Norte, resulting in a firefight that lasted for about an hour. Again, there was no casualty report made available to the media.
The following day, another detachment of the 23rd IB was attacked in Barangay Tag-asaka, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It happened hours after the Kibawe, Bukidnon police station attack.
Jonathan Luna, a driver at Coronet Wood Industry Inc., was caught in the crossfires and was killed.
There are sketchy reports on skirmishes in the same village as of press time. Government troops were sent to the area for “clearing operations.”
Meanwhile, an still unidentified group of armed men burned a payloader in Purok-3, Barangay Canayugan, Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur, on Wednesday.
The payloader was owned by Danny Cullantes, a businessman from T. Calo St., Butuan City.
Bayugan police director Supt. Gerry Ratunil said the payloader’s driver, Enrique Alboresespana, told investigators that the armed men roused him from his sleep and forced him to bring the payloader into an open space.
There, the arsonists poured gasoline all over the payloader, set it afire, started firing shots, and subsequently fled.
http://www.goldstardailynews.com.ph/more-top-stories/militarys-alert-level-up-in-normin-caraga.html
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