Saturday, September 08, 2007 Military, Police on alert v. 'liquidation squad' By Ruby P. Silubrico
MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) here are on alert status after monitoring some seven members of a sparrow unit assigned to liquidate police officials and solicit revolutionary taxes in Iloilo.
Civil Relations Unit Commander Lowen Gil Marquez said their assets fed information that some members of the New People's Army (NPA) sparrow unit arrived in the city two weeks ago for a "special mission."
Of the seven members two are amazons aging 20 to 21 years old and are former members of the NPA's legal front committee.
Marquez said this special unit of the rebel would serve as liquidation squad of some active Regional Mobile Group(RMG) personnel, who were sent here in Iloilo City for augmentation in maintaining peace and order.
Other than that, they were sent to liquidate some politicians and businessmen, who refused to pay their revolutionary taxes.
Some of their alleged targets are a politician from the town of Tubungan, Iloilo, a town councilor from Calinog, Iloilo, another councilor from San Remegio Antique and a barangay chairman from Tapaz, Capiz, who is a rebel returnee.
Marquez said at present, they are trying to locate their safe house here that was believed to be located along Metro Iloilo.
Some of them were spotted in the town of Batad and in the boundary of Iloilo and Capiz province.
"They are here for a mission that is to create atrocities and assassinate some government forces," Marquez said.
On the other hand, City Police Director Wesley Barayuga confirmed that he received several messages that there were members of a liquidation squad roaming around the city streets and are targeting the members of the RMG in their assassination plot.
"It's better to be prepared. I already warned my men to stay vigilant and do not relax because they might be attacked anytime. I'm also asking the help of the community in maintaining peace and order in our area by cooperating with us in avoiding crimes," Barayuga said.
The Western Visayas Regional Police Office has been on heightened alert since last week following the arrest of the NPA head, Jose Maria Sison in Netherlands.
