AUTHORITIES are still pondering on whether or not to sue the rebels who swooped down on the house of the Jose Abad Santos town Mayor Jimmy Joyce and snatched several firearms at Sitio Alpidas in Barangay Culaman in Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental.
Davao del Sur Provincial Police Office (DSPPO) director Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria, in a phone interview on Tuesday, said the communist rebels who were believed to be members of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 71 led by one Jay–R can be charged with criminal charges if found liable for the incident.
"As of now, the Jose Abad Santos Municipal Police Station is still conducting follow-up investigation and pursuit operation against those rebels who broke into the house of the town mayor," Dubria said.
Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) Public Information Office head Capt. Alberto Caber, in a separate interview, said the troops of the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion under the 10th Infantry Division with the police personnel of the town are already conducting pursuit operation against the NPA Front 71 members.
When asked on the possible motive of the NPA, Caber said he does not want to presume not unless the Jose Abad Santos town mayor has spoken to them about the incident.
About 60 communist rebels described to be wearing camouflage uniform and bearing high–powered firearms like M16, M14, AK476, and M60 machineguns, broke into the house of the Jose Abad Santos municipal mayor at Purok Amlaho, Sitio Alpidas, Barangay Culaman on Sunday around 5 a.m.
When rebels learned that Joyce and his family were not around, the rebels disarmed the civilian volunteers for peace and development stationed at the house. Grabbed from the possession of the volunteers are 11 home-made shotguns. The rebels then fled towards Sitio Pigbaluyan in Barangay Caburan Small.
