An undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels stormed the mining site owned by Mayor Joselito Brillantes Jr. of Monkayo town in Compostela Valley on Tuesday evening and carted away 74 high-powered firearms.
In a statement, Aris Francisco, spokesperson of NPA-ComVal-North Davao South Agusan sub-Regional Command said that they were able to confiscate three M60 machine guns; 7 M14 rifles; 13 M16 rifles; 9 garand caliber 30 rifles; 3 baby M16 rifles, 1 carbine; 2 bush masters; 1 ultimax; 1 M203 rifle; 1 RPG; 1 galil rifle; 1 AK 200 rifle; 11 shotguns; two 9mm pistols; eight .45 caliber pistols; one .38 caliber pistol; nine KG rifles; 14,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; military vests and radios.
Francisco said that the offensive launched by the NPAs was a punitive action against Mayor Brillantes.
“The NPA punished Mayor Brillantes for his overt participation in the commission of various crimes against the people in the furtherance of his economic and political interest in Monkayo,” Francisco said in the statement.
He added that the mayor’s private armed group “functions as a security unit for his mining business and is responsible for harassing and perpetuating a reign of terror in the area.”
The claim of Francisco was rebutted by authorities particularly on the number of firearms seized during the attack.
In a separate statement, Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., spokesperson of Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) said that the rebels seized eight high-powered firearms when they attacked the residence of Mayor Brillantes in Purok 7, Barangay Olaycon on Tuesday evening.
Brawner added that a security guard, identified as Roberto Baysa died during the 5-minute attack by the rebels.
Prior to the attack, Brawner reported that the NPAs harassed the patrol base of Alpha Company of 25th IB in Barangay Banlag in the same town.
One (1) CAFGU member was killed during the said harassment, he added.
Lt. Col. Michele Anayron, commander of 25th IB also reported that the NPAs conducted a road blockade on the evening at the national highway in Barangays Olaycon and Banlag.
“This could be a form of counter-attack since we have had so many encounters with the bandits which resulted in the recovery of their high powered firearms, the surrender- of their armed members, and body counts in the previous months. Mayor Brillantes has been very supportive of the government’s counter-insurgency efforts in his town. Joint AFP/PNP pursuit operations are now on-going,” said Lt. Col. Anayron in the same statement.
http://www.mb.com.ph/74-high-powered-firearms-seized-by-npas-in-comval/
In a statement, Aris Francisco, spokesperson of NPA-ComVal-North Davao South Agusan sub-Regional Command said that they were able to confiscate three M60 machine guns; 7 M14 rifles; 13 M16 rifles; 9 garand caliber 30 rifles; 3 baby M16 rifles, 1 carbine; 2 bush masters; 1 ultimax; 1 M203 rifle; 1 RPG; 1 galil rifle; 1 AK 200 rifle; 11 shotguns; two 9mm pistols; eight .45 caliber pistols; one .38 caliber pistol; nine KG rifles; 14,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; military vests and radios.
Francisco said that the offensive launched by the NPAs was a punitive action against Mayor Brillantes.
“The NPA punished Mayor Brillantes for his overt participation in the commission of various crimes against the people in the furtherance of his economic and political interest in Monkayo,” Francisco said in the statement.
He added that the mayor’s private armed group “functions as a security unit for his mining business and is responsible for harassing and perpetuating a reign of terror in the area.”
The claim of Francisco was rebutted by authorities particularly on the number of firearms seized during the attack.
In a separate statement, Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., spokesperson of Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) said that the rebels seized eight high-powered firearms when they attacked the residence of Mayor Brillantes in Purok 7, Barangay Olaycon on Tuesday evening.
Brawner added that a security guard, identified as Roberto Baysa died during the 5-minute attack by the rebels.
Prior to the attack, Brawner reported that the NPAs harassed the patrol base of Alpha Company of 25th IB in Barangay Banlag in the same town.
One (1) CAFGU member was killed during the said harassment, he added.
Lt. Col. Michele Anayron, commander of 25th IB also reported that the NPAs conducted a road blockade on the evening at the national highway in Barangays Olaycon and Banlag.
“This could be a form of counter-attack since we have had so many encounters with the bandits which resulted in the recovery of their high powered firearms, the surrender- of their armed members, and body counts in the previous months. Mayor Brillantes has been very supportive of the government’s counter-insurgency efforts in his town. Joint AFP/PNP pursuit operations are now on-going,” said Lt. Col. Anayron in the same statement.
http://www.mb.com.ph/74-high-powered-firearms-seized-by-npas-in-comval/
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