In this photo taken Nov. 23, 2016, members of the New People's Army communist rebels with face painted to conceal their identities, stand in formation during ceremonies before a news conference held at their guerrilla encampment tucked in the harsh wilderness. AP/File photo
Thursday’s rebel attack could have been more damaging than mere torching of two Volvo trucks, the military said.
Brig. Gen. Roy Deveza, commander of the Philippine Army’s 503rd Infantry Brigade said there was a prior tip that members of the New People's Army (NPA) were planning to raid and ransack Philex Mining Corporation’s Padcal mines in Itogon.
Rebels however may have changed plans on the last minute Thursday morning “when they sensed movement of law enforcers even before they executed (such plan),” the military official said.
Four male rebels and a female guerilla flagged down two Volvo trucks, filled with gold ore concentrates at Sitio Pakak, Barangay Ampucao, some five kilometers away from the firm’s main gates, while enroute to Poro Point in San Fernando City, La Union 7:40 a.m. Thursday.
Drivers and escorts were ordered to disembark from the trucks by the rebels and set the vehicles on fire before fleeing towards the mountains.
Up to now, Philex Mines has not issued any official statement on the incident, even as unconfirmed reports said that it received a demand letter from rebels asking for revolutionary taxes.
Caught rebels face raps
The three suspected NPA rebels, who police had accused as among those who participated in the Philex Mines attack, are now facing criminal cases before the Benguet prosecutors’ office.
Benguet police filed arson, robbery and illegal possession of ammunition against Sarah Abellon, Promencio Cortez and Marciano Sagun on Friday.
Military and police intelligence agents are tagging Abellon as secretary of the Sub-Regional Military Area Command (SMAC) of the CPP-NPA in charge with extortion activities on big projects, while Cortez who accordingly carries a P4.8-million reward for his arrest is also a high-ranking rebel official.
Benguet policemen raided on Thursday night a transient house along Tiptop, Ambuclao Road in Beckel, La Trinidad allegedly rented by Abellon, Cortez and Sagun. They seized personal belongings, several gadgets, assorted ammunitions and P850,000 cash believed to be revolutionary tax collection of Abellon.
The almost a million cash, according to authorities, are also being used as NPA's operational fund to carry out atrocities in the area.
The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) however condemned the arrest of Abellon, who according to them is a board of director of the non-government organization Rural Development Center-Katinnulong Dagiti Umili ti Amianan a Luzon (RDC-Kaduami). The group, now demanding for Abellon’s release, claimed that his arrest was illegal.
Meanwhile, government forces are still pursuing the main body of the insurgents who were able to escape via Itogon mountains, by splitting up to different directions in Tuba and Itogon, Benguet, the Cordillera police said.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/02/11/1671203/npa-planned-raid-philex-mining-says-army-official
The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA)is a regional affiliate of the main Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) umbrella human rights front organization KARAPATAN (The Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights).
ReplyDeleteRural Development Center-Katinnulong Dagiti Umili ti Amianan a Luzon (RDC-Kaduami) is a suspected CPP indigenous people's front group that has ties to other well-established communist front organizations such as the Cordillera People's Alliance (CPA).