NPAs still active in remote Ilocos towns

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 28): NPAs still active in remote Ilocos towns

Camp Quirino, Ilocos Sur — The New People’s Army (NPA) rebels are still active in remote towns of Ilocos region and remain to be a force to reckon with, police and soldiers confirmed yesterday.

Just last January 21, the communist rebels set fire a delivery truck in the municipality of Sigay, this province.

As this developed, police and army soldiers are now running after a group of persons who burned the delivery truck owned by a giant cigarette manufacturing firm in the remote area of Sitio Lipit, Barangay Mabileg in Sigay.

Senior Superintendent Rey de Peralta, police provincial director, said that unidentified armed assailants – two men and a woman – commandeered two Elf trucks with Plate Nos. POL-583, driven by Benito Literal, and POS-522 driven, by Marcelo Bustillos.

The trucks had just delivered sacks of fertilizers in Barangays Alfonso, Tubalina, Tanggaoan, and Concepcion in the town of Del Pilar.

The fertilizers were an advanced loan for the tobacco farmers.

The armed men ordered the drivers and their helpers to alight after saying, “Bumaba kayo dita, haan dakayo nga an annwen ta luganyo lat masapul mi para mannalon daytoy nga lugan (Get off there, we do not hurt you but we need only your trucks as these belong to the farmers),” De Peralta said.

Asked if there are still NPA rebels operating in this province, Nerona said there are still few armed men crossing the tri-boundaries here.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/01/28/npas-still-active-in-remote-ilocos-towns/