Kidapawan mayor condemns NPA attacks on K-9 handlers, civilians

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 1): Kidapawan mayor condemns NPA attacks on K-9 handlers, civilians

The local chief executive here on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack by communist rebels against two members of bomb squad and two civilians in the city's public market.

The New Peoples Army (NPA) admitted responsibility in the shooting of K-9 handlers, claiming it was in retaliation to the April 1, 2016 bloody dispersal of protesting farmers.

“The members of the city’s K9-Unit are civilian volunteers; no firearms and clearly non-combatants,” Mayor Joseph Evangelista said during the Crisis Management Council emergency meeting Wednesday.

He added the attack was a clear manifestation of desperate and baseless actions of the rebel group which falsely call themselves as “soldiers of the masses."

According to police report, the NPA was supposed to target members of the PNP’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) who participated the dispersal of protesters blocking and paralyzing Davao-Cotabato highway.

Since their target were fully armed, they attack K-9 handlers who were unarmed.

Evangelista visited the handlers and two civilians in a hospital and assured them the local government will shoulder all their medical expenses.

During the crisis management meeting, Evangelista directed the police and the military strictly impose steps in checkpoints, focusing on motorcycle drivers and commuters.

He also tasked frontline agencies to continue the delivery of social and health services to the farthest villages of the city.

“In spite of the threat, we are not afraid to continue our commitment and we will never stop the delivery of basic services which intend to improve the condition of the needy sector,” Evangelista said.

The city government, Evangelista said, will expedite the acquisition of additional equipment to be used for security checking and the request for additional CAFGU members to secure the public.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/992458