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Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Rebels claim hand in cop station raid
By Ben O. Tesiorna and Raquel C. Bagnol
DAVAO CITY -- The communist New People's Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for the attack on the Magpet police station last Sunday when about 24 firearms were carted away by fully armed men who disguised themselves as police special action forces.
In a statement, the Merardo Arce Command-Southern Mindanao Regional Operations Command of the NPA commended the "Red officers, fighters and operatives of the Magtanggol Roque Command, Herminio Alfonso Command and the Ka Paking Guimbaolibot Red Partisan Brigade for the successful joint tactical offensive."
"The daring NPA raid caught the enemy in complete surprise and resulted in the disarming of 24 high-powered rifles and handguns. The Red fighters executed the raid with such precision and swiftness that not a single shot was fired. This speaks well of the increasing intelligence and operational capacity of the revolutionary people's army," said rebel spokesman Rigoberto Sanchez.
The rebel group said the attack was also meant to humiliate North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol.
"The top despotic bureaucrat of North Cotabato and his brother--mayor of Magpet town--are understandably stunned because this is a strong slap on their faces. The dirty political maneuverings and bare-faced bully tactics by the Piñol-military fascist clique against the people of North Cotabato rightly deserve to be punished," Sanchez said.
The rebels claimed that "a large cross-section of the North Cotabato populace is silently rejoicing" over this latest NPA action.
"As he (Piñol) wallows in extreme anxiety over growing NPA capabilities, he would do well if he is able to realize that armed and repressive instruments of oppression and exploitation are vulnerable chiefly because they are the enemies of the people," Sanchez said.
For his part, Piñol vowed that authorities would soon catch up with the armed men who are now believed to be hiding in the jungles of Mount Apo and planning to go to Davao City.
Combined forces from the Army's 38th, 40th, 73rd and 25th Infantry Battalions, Task Force Malmar and police's Special Action Force are now scouring the boundaries of North Cotabato and Davao City for the armed men.
"Naisahan tayo, but we should learn from this major security lapse. We should always be aware that the enemies of the state are just waiting for the right opportunity to pounce on us and embarrass government," Piñol earlier said.
National Democratic Front (NDF) spokesperson for Southern Mindanao Jorge Madlos, alias Ka Oris, congratulated Tuesday the New People's Army (NPA) for the successful joint tactical offensive launched at the police headquarters.
"I congratulated them (rebels) for a job well done," Ka Oris said in a radio interview Tuesday.
"This is part of our moves to destabilize the government; it just shows that NPA can launch offensive without violence," Ka Oris said.
"The tactical offensive was a sign of armed protest against the rotten system of government and to increase the pressure for Gloria Arroyo to resign," Ka Oris said in an interview aired over GMA Super Radyo.
Ka Oris said that not a single shot was fired and no one was hurt. This, he said, just goes to show that offensives could be launched without violence and bloodshed to both civilians and the police or military.
"I am calling also to the government troops not to be violent if NPA members will come to you because all they want are firearms to strengthen the revolutionary forces," Ka Oris added.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Arturo Lomibao on Monday ordered a thorough investigation of the case including the possible lapses committed by the police.
"If indeed there are lapses on the part of our policemen, sanctions would be imposed," said Lomibao during a visit in Magpet, hours after the attack.
The attack happened while Magpet police chief Wilfredo Perocho was on an official trip to Iloilo.
Reports said the police were able to recover two of the 24 firearms (not 29 as earlier reported) carted by the NPA who reportedly escaped towards Mount Apo.
Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao revealed the armed men were onboard three vans when they arrived at Magpet police station around 6:30 p.m. of June 26.
Two of the suspects, in full fatigue uniforms, disembarked and brought with them a handcuffed man whom they said they were turning over to the Magpet police. There were nine policemen in the police office at that time.
They were taken by surprise when other armed men suddenly sprang out of the vans. The policemen were held at gunpoint while the armed men ransacked the precinct.
They left with seven M16 rifles, two M14 rifles, five M1 Garand rifles, five .38 caliber revolvers, seven .45 caliber pistols, seven .9mm pistols, and several ammunitions.
The armed men also took two computer sets, two typewriters, and some policemen uniforms.
No shots were fired for the entire duration of the raid and nobody was hurt or injured.
The getaway vehicles were abandoned and recovered by the authorities in Barangay Magcaalam.
It was learned that the vans were rented for P2,500 each in Barangay Linangkob by a woman who said she was going to use it for a family reunion. (With report from JMT)
(June 29, 2005 issue)
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