MEMBERS of the New People’s Army under the Jennifer Carino Command operating in Benguet attacked a police sub-station in Barangay Loo in Buguias town in Benguet around 9 p.m., Tuesday, May 16.
Without any shots fired, communist rebels took away a 9 mm Bereta pistol, four magazines, a hand grenade, holsters, pouch, two VHF radios, and military uniforms.
In a statement, the NPA said the attack serves as punitive action for the crimes committed by the Philippine National Police against the people and the revolutionary movement.
“The Buguias police force are notorious for committing crimes against the masses. They randomly stop motorists plying the highway in order to extort bribes. Most of these motorists are gardeners bringing their vegetable harvest to market,” the NPA statement added.
rRebels also alleged Buguias police to be involved in the sale of illegal drugs and other anti-social activities such as the operation of bars.
The Benguet NPAs also claimed Buguias police force tortured and killed Ka Antonio Licawen, in 2005, in Barangay Bad-ayan, after he had been injured and had already surrendered to the police. They are also responsible for torturing a group of youth, who were hitchhiking along Halsema Highway in 2006, after the successful NPA raid on the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit detachment in Cabitin, Mankayan.
The attack was the second siege of a police outpost this year by the NPA in the Cordillera.
Last month, rebels in the remote Malibcong town attacked a police station in Abra, held captive four policemen on duty for an hour and carted away their high-powered firearms and equipment.
READ: 5 hurt in Abra ambush
Authorities, meanwhile, reported another encounter in Kalinga between communists rebels and members of the Philippine Army in May 15.
In a belated report, patrolling unit of the Alpha Coy 50th Infantry Battalion, 503rd Brigade, of the Philippine Army under 1st Liuetenant Orven Noel Baldonado encountered undetermined number of NPA in Sitio Saltan, Barangay Balbalasang, Balbalan, Kalinga, which resulted in the wounding of PFC Castro Fagronob. who sustained a gunshot wound on his left inner armpit.
Nestor, who sustained a gunshot wound on his left inner armpit, was brought to the Western Kalinga District Hospital, Cadamayan, Poblacion, Balbalan for medical treatment and now under stable condition while casualties from the rebels side is still unconfirmed.