Saturday, August 25, 2007 ‘Beware of NPA rebels posing as NBI agents’ By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE Army in Negros Friday warned the public especially the businessmen, sugar planters and politicians in the island against the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels posing as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.
Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, spokesman of the 32nd Civil Relation Unit-Armed Forces of the Philippines, cited the August 23 incident in Barangay Napacaw, Siaton town in Oriental Negros where scores of rebels raided the Cabrera compound, burned three dump trucks and carted away two firearms.
Marquez said the rebels led by a certain Ka Ansel identified themselves as NBI agents before entering the compound.
But when they were allowed entry, they then proceeded to the manager’s office and held all the workers at gunpoint, Marquez said, adding that from seven who pretended as NBI agents, the rebels then massed up to almost 25. All were armed.
They then burned three dump trucks used in hauling sugarcane and carted away one shotgun, and one .38 caliber revolver before exiting to Canaway river in the area.
Marquez disclosed that prior to the raid, the rebels reportedly asked for revolutionary tax from the owner of Cabrera compound.
The owner, however, ignored their demand, the army said.
In Panay island, the army also reported that two sugar central were also threatened to be attacked by the rebels after they refused to give in to their demand of P2 million revolutionary tax per crop year.
Due to fear, one central, however, yielded to an initial P500,000, the army said.
Marquez, however, said that the AFP in the entire Western Visayas is now moving on in guarding all businesses that include telecommunication companies, sugar centrals, oil depots, among others from rebels’ terroristic attacks.
“We all know that NPA is now employing new tactics in extorting money from businessmen especially sugar planters both in Negros and Panay. But we are also doing our best to protect businesses from becoming victims of rebels’ extortion activities,” Marquez stressed.
In Negros, Brigadier General Gregorio Fajardo, commanding general of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, reiterated his appeal to all businessmen, sugar planters or even politicians not to give in with the extortion demand of the rebels.
Instead Fajardo asked them to simply coordinate with the army in order for them to avail of proper security.
