THE New People’s Army (NPA), armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, claimed responsibility for the attack at Bauko, Mountain Province Friday morning, March 29.
The Leonardo Pacsi Command (NPA-Mountain Province) said its members engaged the Cordillera Police Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) in a 15-minute firefight at 9:45 a.m. Friday at Mount Kapuwaw, Sitio Mabalagan, Bagnen Proper, Bauko.
A policeman died while another was wounded during the encounter.
Patrolman Wilfredo Bongotan Padawil of the Regional Mobile Force, 1502nd Company and a resident of Tetep-an, Sagada, Mountain Province, was brought by the responding medical team and PNP personnel to Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital. He died at around 1:30 p.m.
Police Corporal Eroeel Jon-Jon Salam Lapniten, married, 31, also of the Regional Mobile Force, 1502nd Company and a resident of Bayoyo, Buyacaoan, Buguias, was wounded. He was reported to be in stable condition as of Friday night.
Police Colonel Mike PesPes, Regional Mobile Force Command chief, said the police were conducting Internal Security Operations for the second day after receiving intelligence reports about the presence of the communist terrorist group in the area.
The Leonardo Pacsi Command said the operation was in response to directives of the NPA National Operations Command to launch military actions nationwide as part of the celebration of the communist group’s 50th anniversary.
“In Mt. Province, the RPSB carries this mission in the guise of protecting the environment and national interest. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in cahoots with these mercenary troops have been enforcing a total log ban policy and the crackdown on small-scale mines. On the other hand, they protect plunderous large-scale mines, logging, and energy businesses,” the Leonardo Pacsi Command said in a statement.
The Leonardo Pacsi Command added that indigenous people have inherent rights to their ancestral lands and its resources including the trees, the minerals, and the waters. Abusive use of these can be sanctioned through customary laws still being practiced by communities through self–regulation.
“During operations of the DENR and PNP, numerous cases of human rights violations are being committed, such as harassment, indiscriminate pointing and firing of rifles and confiscation of lumber intended for housing and community use. Corruption is also rampant as DENR and police officials sell or take for personal use whatever they have sequestered from the locals,” the statement adds. (With report from Jonathan Llanes)