The facilities of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines in Negros island are also targets of terroristic activities of the New People’s Army, its Negros security officer, former Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, said yesterday.
This was based on documents recovered during the arrest in Davao City on May this year of Roy Erecre, who was tagged by the military as the secretary of the Central Visayas Regional Party Committee.
Maestrecampo, however, said they have not received any extortion letters from the supposed NPA, so far.
Maestrecampo disclosed during a security briefing at the Negros Occidental Peace and Security Forum held at a hotel in Bacolod City that being targeted by the alleged NPA are the Negros V transmission project V in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Vallehermoso and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental.
Rene Alquizar, security officer of NGCP Panay, also revealed during the security forum that suspected NPA members bombed their transmission towers in Iloilo and Capiz, using Improvised Explosives Devices, after sending extortion letters.
An NGCP tower costs P10 million, Alquizar said.
Maestrecampo said the policy of NGCP is not to yield on demands of the CPP-NPA.
It was disclosed during the security forum that NGCP has 938 towers in Negros island alone.
Maestrecampo said the NGCP regularly conduct target hardening activities through security and evacuation drills.
Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, who presided over the security forum, said that securing vital installations, such as the NGCP, is the job of everybody.
Present were representatives of various multi-sectoral groups, Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, Supt. Mario Baquiran, 6th Special Action Battalion Board Member Rolando Ponsica and Provincial Planning and Development Officer Ma. Lina Sanogal, among others.
Aying said there should be a strong collaboration between the state security offices and the people in communities where vital installations are located.
Maestrecampo said NGCP also organized 1st Power Reserve Division, that is composed initially of reservists who are engineers and line men. He added that their services can be tapped in times of emergency.
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