Army seizes NPA rice stockpile in Bukidnon

From the Manila Bulletin (Jun 10): Army seizes NPA rice stockpile in Bukidnon

Camp Bancasi, Butuan City – Troops of the Army’s First Special Forces Battallion (1st SFBn) under the 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade discovered 15 sacks of rice buried, believed to belong to sympathizers of the New People’s Army (NPA), in Sitio Mahusay, Barangay Dominorog, Talakag town, Bukidnon province, Capt. Norman M. Tagros, Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade said.

In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin, Tagros said the elements of the 1st SFBn unearthed the 45 plastic containers filled with 15 sacks of rice, buried under five feet of soil, in Mahusay area, with the help of villagers.

“The troops of the 1st SFBn conducted security patrol in response to the reports and complaints of concerned residents in the nearby communities who are already fed-up with the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA Terrorists extortion,” the 403rd CMO officer said.

“Moreover, the residents who are mostly poor farmers claimed that they were already fed up with being constantly forced by the CPP-NPA Terrorists to take up arms against the government as members of the Milisyang Bayan (MB),” he said.

“These MB members are also tasked to provide rice and food and carry such items to the mountains where they are then asked by the CPP-NPA Terrorists to bury said rice using 20-liters plastic water containers,” claimed the 403rd CMO officer.

“The terrorists constantly violated the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) by forcing the civilians to become direct participants to hostilities and for constantly subjecting civilians to attacks and harassments, Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division spokesperson Lt. Tere Ingente also told The Manila Bulletin.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/06/10/army-seizes-npa-rice-stockpile-in-bukidnon/