Friday, February 20, 2015

Police on red alert after suspected NPA members torch mining equipment in Quirino town

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): Police on red alert after suspected NPA members torch mining equipment in Quirino town

Members of the Philippine National Police here are on full alert status following an arson incident reported on Thursday in sitio Sinagaban, Patungcaleo village in Quirino, Ilocos Sur.

Police report said an old equipment of the South Ocean Mining Corporation owned by a certain Peter Hay, a Chinese National, was burned down at around 1:25 am on February 19 by still unidentified armed men who claimed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Based on the statements of security guard Jose Rapada and caretaker William Ong, an unidentified armed male person entered the premises and ordered them to turn off their cell phones as he introduced himself as member of the NPA. Later on, companions of the alleged NPA member poured gasoline onto the equipment and set it on fire that lasted for more than an hour.

Following the incident, Police chief superintendent Roman Felix, Regional director of the PNP Regional Office 1, directed his men to conduct an in-depth investigation on the matter and ensure maximum security in the said mining area to avoid the same incident happen in the future.

On April 11, 2014, a similar incident occurred in Patiacan village, of the same town where a drilling machine of the Freeport Mc-Moran Phelps Dodge Mining Company was also burned down by alleged NPA rebels.

An intensified security operation is now on-going in suspected red areas in close coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=737429

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