Thursday, October 12, 2006 Army group to screen Cafgu applicants
THE Fourth Infantry Division would review applications for its Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) members in order to cleanse its ranks of suspected communist sympathizers or rebels.
In a TV interview, military officials said this is being done in order to avoid a repeat of a raid by the communist New People's Army (NPA) at the 702nd Cafgu unit in Barangay Buko, Valencia City in Bukidnon province last August 22.
Sun.Star tried but failed to contact Fourth ID chief Jose Barbieto for verification on the issue as of Wednesday.
Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon was reported to have met with Fourth ID officials regarding the August 22 raid on the Cafgu detachment.
Fourth ID spokesman Samuel Sagun said they were looking into reports that the raid, which resulted in the seizure of 29 high powered firearms and the death of an army officer, was made possible through an inside job.
Some military officers pointed out that the 702 Cafgu unit detachment under the 403rd Brigade infantry unit resisted previous assaults by the NPA rebels in years past.
The raid was supposedly conducted by rebels under the communist NPA's Ernesto "Boboy" Roa.
Military officers assigned near the detachment said there were reports that some of the Cafgus were spotted talking with NPA rebels near their base and even eating with them.
One member of the Cafgu, Julito Tapatan, is a rebel returnee. Still, Sagun said they have yet to verify these claims.
The rebels reportedly numbering 50 also seized 29 firearms consisting of 15 M14 armalite rifles, 10 Garrand rifles, two carbines, and two M16 armalite rifles.
Sagun said a similar arms raid was conducted by NPA in 2003 near a Cafgu detachment.
However, he explained that the 2003 raid occurred because of the laxity of the mobile patrol at the time.
The military also denied that two Army commanders were relieved of their posts as a result of the incident. (Stephen Capillas)
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