Thursday, February 27, 2020

Stop giving extortion money to NPAs, Gov. Mamba says

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 27, 2020): Stop giving extortion money to NPAs, Gov. Mamba says (By Oliver T. Baccay)


Gov. Manuel Mamba urges local officials to help resolve insurgency in the province. (by CPIO)

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Feb. 27 (PIA)—Governor Manuel N. Mamba has warned politicians, businessmen and contractors to stop giving extortion money to the New People’s Army (NPA).

Mamba said he has a list of individuals who have been giving revolutionary taxes to the rebel groups operating in the mountains of the province.

“Mostly are elected officials of the province and big personalities in the business arena including some contractors of government projects,” Mamba said.

In the past years, the rebel groups are believed to torch heavy equipment and harassed workers of the government infrastructure projects in the remote areas which according to Mamba were part of the rebels' efforts to extort money from companies involved in road projects in the area.

“Let’s end this long practice. Our law enforcers are exerting so much efforts, even sacrificing their lives to curb insurgency but there are people who are also supporting the left groups,” Mamba added.


Gov. Manuel Mamba presides over the joint Provincial Peace and Order Council, Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Terrorists. ( by PIA)

The governor said he will talk to the respective officials and personalities involved in the list in an effort to verify information and discuss counter measures to prevent them from granting the demand of the rebels without sacrificing their safety and security.

“Let us not allow the NPAs to divide us, instead we must work together to resolve this long overdue problem. I am open to any information regarding the rebels. Any information will help neutralize the communist terrorists,” the governor added.

On his part, Colonel Angelo Saguiguit, commanding officer of the 17th Infantry Battalion, said there are only 73 strengths of the NPAs operating in southern and southwestern parts of Cagayan and Apayao provinces with only more than a hundred of firearms.

“We are much bigger in number than them but you might be wondering why they are still in operation. That is because we don’t know where they are. There are no information of their locations. We need your support to identify and locate them,” Saguiguit said.

With this, he urged local officials and the people in the influenced areas to have courage in giving vital information about the NPAs which he believes is one of the keys towards the elimination of the communist terrorist groups that are still oparting in the province. (MDCT/OTB/PIA 2-Cagayan)

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