Members of the New People’s Army (NPA) indiscriminately fired against two detachment sites of the Philippine Army’s Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary early Tuesday morning.
No one was hurt from the troops of the CAFGU, said Lt. Col. Sisenando Magbalot Jr., Commanding Officer of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB), said in an interview.
Magbalot described the incident as just an “early morning exercise” of the rebels.
“It was just a short burst of fire and a sort of nuisance but there was no intention to inflict casualty. It is more of indiscriminate firing,” he said.
Magbalot said the first incident took place in the CAFGU site in the village of Abangay, Tapaz, Capiz around 1 a.m. when about three to six members of the Igabon Platoon of the NPA's Komiteng Rehiyon Panay-Central Front Committee (KRP-CFC) sprayed the detachment with bullets.
The gunfire lasted only for 10 seconds and the rebels immediately left the area, Magbalot said.
Around 1:46 a.m. of the same day, Magbalot said another CAFGU detachment site in the nearby village of Katipunan experienced the same incident also for short period of time. No one was hurt from the government side.
“They even did not directly fire on the camp but maybe upwards,” he said.
Magbalot said the incident is may be part of the ongoing preparations of the rebels for their 50th founding anniversary of the communist movement on December 26.
“They may want to present this as part of their accomplishment,” he added.
Meantime, Captain Eduardo Precioso, Spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) based in Jamindan, Capiz, also shared the same thought.
He said that the incident is just a normal undertaking of the rebels before they celebrate their anniversary.
“Their actions have no tactical effect on the troops, but they have instilled fear on the community living nearby the detachment sites. Rest assured that the 3ID are on alert to protect the community,” he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1056984
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