Additional police
and military forces have been deployed in the boundaries of the provinces of
Abra, Mountain Province
Sr. Supt.
Virgilio Laya, Abra provincial police director, said troops have been deployed
in remote villages to intercept the rebels after 11 people, including two
soldiers, were killed in clashes in the mountain barangay of Guinguinabang,
Lacub town last week.
“We have deployed
blocking forces in the area. We want to neutralize their operation in the
Cordillera region,” Laya said.
Abra is one of
the longest held strongholds of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Cordillera
region. At least seven rebels and two civilians were killed in encounters last
Thursday and Friday in Guinguinabang and the rebels have been on the run.
Laya said the
soldiers arrested a woman guerrilla, Regina Marie Gustilo, 22, from Caloocan City
He said after the
fighting on Thursday second gun battle occurred when rebels ambushed troops
escorting civilians carrying the body of a rebel from Guinguinabang to the
Poblacion.
“They were fired
upon by a still undetermined number of communist rebels and it resulted in a
fierce running gun battle,” Laya said.
He said the
troops were conducting massive hot pursuit operations and “we want to
neutralize their presence in remote communities to stop their harassment and
extortion activities.”
Gov Eustaquio
Bersamin said the clashes were a setback to government efforts to persuade the
NPA to return to mainstream society and enjoy a peaceful life instead of
running away from the long arms of the law.
“We will not
allow the minor setbacks to derail our aggressive campaign towards lasting
peace in the province. We want Abra to be known as a peaceful community with
peace-loving and God-fearing people,” Bersamin said.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/09/15/troops-pursue-rebels-in-abra
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