Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Military urges town mayors to be extra vigilant

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 2): Military urges town mayors to be extra vigilant
 
A military official on Wednesday called on all mayors in Northern Mindanao and in the Caraga Region, particularly in rebel infested areas, to be extra vigilant.

Maj. Christian Uy, spokesperson of the army’s 4th Infantry Division, made the call in wake of the killing of town Mayor Mario Okinlay of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon on Wednesday morning.

Armed men believed members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA), killed Okinlay in an ambushed while on a medical mission in the remote barangay of Bontongon.

Uy said that town mayors, especially in eastern Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and all of the Caraga provinces should adopt appropriate security measures.

He said that the assigned Philippine National Police (PNP) escorts of mayors must review their security protocols so that breaches such as what happened to Mayor Okinlay would not happen again.

On April 2013, then Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona survived, although wounded, in an ambush perpetrated by alleged NPA rebels.

“Right now, their strategy is to terrorize local officials and businesses. They are very cunning, very deceptive,” Uy said, noting that the latest ambush occurred when Okinlay was delivering basic services to his remote constituents.

Okinlay was driving a motorcycle with no passenger security escort when he was sniped in the vicinity of barangay Buntungan at around 8:20 a.m.

Impasug-ong municipal department heads and Okinlay’s security personnel were behind in four-wheeled vehicles because the mayor reportedly liked to drive around town in his motorcycle.

Okinlay was immediately brought to Polymedic General Hospital in nearby Malaybalay City but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The five NPA rebels are now on the run from military and police forces, Uy reported.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=658996

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