Army forms task force against armed groups in Central Luzon

From the Manila Times (Jul 11): Army forms task force against armed groups in Central Luzon

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: The Philippine Army has formed a task force to monitor the movement of armed groups along the boundary of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino as well as Nueva Vizcaya and Ifugao provinces.

Lt. Col. Eugene Mata, commanding officer of the 6th Infantry Division, said there has been an increased and frequent movement of armed groups due to the planned construction of a large-scale hydro electric dam project in Kasibu town here and in Quirino province.

The planned Diduyon Hydroelectric Power Project with an 88-meter high Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam and an installed capacity of 324 MW is a large-scale Hydroelectric Power Project reportedly going to displace residents in Kasibu town and in Quirino.

Mata said the task force will go after armed groups who usually use the Vizcaya-Ifugao boundary as entry and exit points to Ambaguio, Villaverde and Bagabag towns.

“The group was formed to go after these armed groups without encountering problems on political boundary issues,” Mata said.

In its monitoring operations from January to June 2014, the Army has recorded at least nine non-violent activities of armed groups along the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya–Nueva Ecija boundaries.

Mata said they are still verifying if these groups are the same with those who were also sighted along the boundary of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino provinces.

He said a slight increase on the sightings of armed groups were recorded in the remote areas of Kasibu here and Quirino province who are reportedly sympathizing with residents who are opposed to the said planned construction of Diduyon Dam.

http://www.manilatimes.net/army-forms-task-force-against-armed-groups-in-central-luzon/110764/