THE New People’s Army (NPA) have owned up to attacks in the Cordillera Administrative Region in the name of ideology.
The Antonio Licawen Front Operations Command [Alfoc] and the Chadli Molintas Command (CMC) operating at the Benguet-Abra-Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur area in separate statements imparted messages detailing victory during the July 16 attack at the boarder of Abra and the Mountain Province, killing and injuring government troops.
The NPA statement described the attack as protest to the Duterte Administration’s continued war against the groups and refusal to continue peace negotiations.
“Bahagi ang nagpapatuloy na operasyon ng 81st IB ng pagpapaigting ng pasistang rehimeng US-Duterte at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa all-out war laban sa rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa hibang na layunin na burakin ang paglaban at pagkakaisa ng mamamayang Pilipino. Nitong Hunyo, muling isinawalang-bahala ng papet at reaksyunaryong gubyerno ang panawagan para sa tunay na kapayapaan ng malawak na hanay ng mamamayang Pilipino matapos nitong tumangging bumalik sa negotiating table para sa nakatakdang panlimang round ng usapang pangkapayapaan sa National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP),” Salaknib Monteverde, spokesperson of NPA Alfoc said.
The statement said the attack killed six although only four were reported and wounded at least two soldiers from the 81st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army who were caught unaware by the rebel groups at Barangay Tamboan, Sitio Dandanac, Besao, Mountain Province.
Monteverde detailed the attack claiming victory as no members of the rebel team was killed during the July 14 and 15 gun battles.
Rebels confiscated firearms from the soldiers.
The Alfoc statement detailed numerous human rights violations at the Ilocos at Cordillera areas alleging the 81st IB is deployed at both areas as security for corporations like Philip Morris & Fortune Tobacco Company (PMFTC) deataling operations in villages of Sta. Cruz, Salcedo, Sta. Lucia, Candon, Galimuyod, Suyo, Sigay, Banayoyo, San Emilio, Quirino, Cervantes, all in Ilocos.
In the Cordillera, the group said operations of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation in Mankayan, Benguet; SN Aboitiz-Hedcor in Bakun; Sta. Clara-Philnewriver Hydropower Companies in Tubo,Abra; the Freeport McMorran-Phelps Dodge at CEXCI (Cordillera Exploration Co, Inc.) and Markham at Satrap Hydropower Projects at Sigay and Suyo, Ilocos Sur are being monitored.