Alert up in Region 12 for NPA’s 48th founding anniversary

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 28): Alert up in Region 12 for NPA’s 48th founding anniversary  

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 has raised the security alert in the entire region in line with the 48th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army (NPA) tomorrow, March 29.

Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr., PRO-12 public information officer, said Tuesday all police units in the area are currently on “full alert status” based on a directive issued by the Philippine National Police central office.

He said the move is aimed to counter attacks possibly being planned by NPA rebels in parts of Region 12.

“All our units are in place and ready to respond to any eventuality in connection with their anniversary,” he said.

He the regional office deployed additional personnel in areas that could be targeted by the rebels.

These include vital government installations, government infrastructure projects and facilities of local companies that were targeted by the group these past months.

He specifically cited road projects sites in this city and Sarangani Province, industries and companies in North and South Cotabato.

The police official said they have increased their presence along national highways to pre-empt attacks on passenger buses plying the area.

Since November, nearly a dozen passenger buses and vans were burned by suspected NPA rebels in parts of the region.

Seven of the buses were owned by the Koronadal City-based Yellow Bus Line Inc., which had repeatedly rejected demands by the rebels for payment of revolutionary taxes.

“There were a number of harassments staged by the rebels in our area of responsibility these past days so we’re not taking any chances,” Galgo said.

Last Friday, about 50 heavily-armed rebels stormed a detachment of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit or Cafgu Active Auxilliary situated near the base camp of mining firm Sagittarius Mines Inc. in Barangay Tablu, Tampakan town in South Cotabato.

The attack was repulsed by responding troops from the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion and personnel from the PRO-12’s Regional Public Safety Battalion.

In Alabel, Sarangani, the rebels also ambushed a truck owned by a construction firm working on a road project in the area.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=975642