Archive for January 1st, 2008
NPA attack smacks of treachery amid truce
MANILA, Philippines — A communist rebel attack on a mining site and nearby government militia detachment, which happened on the last day of their unilateral holiday ceasefire on Tuesday, smacked of “treachery,” the Philippine Army said.
The raid by the New People’s Army (NPA) could also mean that the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) was “no longer being followed” by its guerilla fighters, said Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres Jr., Army public affairs chief.
The NPA declared a four-day ceasefire for the Christmas holidays, from December 24 to 25, and from December 31 to January 1. The military declared a 22-day suspension of unilateral military operations (SOMO) from December 16 to January 6.
At around 3:45 a.m., an estimated 50 NPA members attacked the Sagitarrius Mine Inc., and a base camp of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographic Unit (CAFGU) 800 meters away, whose troops are guarding the mine, in sitio (sub-village) Datal Mangsi, Tampakan town, South Cotabato province, Torres said.
The attack was probably due to the company’s non-payment of “revolutionary tax” to the rebels.
“The NPA deceives the people [and] conducts a raid during their self-declared truce,” the spokesman said.
“The incident clearly manifests how the NPA uses treachery and deception in order to terrorize the people. It also shows that the CPP-NPA central leadership is no longer being followed by the regional and provincial NPA,” he said.
There were no reported injuries in the incident, but the rebels burned at least three buildings and several equipment, and carted away a .38 revolver, a 12-gauge shotgun, a handheld radio and a laptop computer from the mine’s security guards, Torres said.
Torres said damages due to the attack was estimated at P20 million.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
Military probes alleged US meddling in Sulu hospital
MANILA, Philippines — The commander of military forces in Western Mindanao has ordered an investigation into reports that American soldiers forced the shutdown of a local hospital in Sulu province, his spokesman said Tuesday.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Major General Nelson Allaga directed Joint Task Force Comet, the counter-terrorism unit based in the southern island province, to lead the investigation.
“The result of the investigation shall serve as the basis in recommending the appropriate punishment to the guilty party or mediate the differences or misunderstanding between the parties involved if any,” said Westmincom spokesman Major Eugene Batara.
“The AFP shall uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the Filipinos and shall bring the matter to proper US authorities if warranted,” Batara said, quoting Allaga.
Batara acknowledged that the reported US meddling had an “adverse impact” on the humanitarian projects of Filipino and US forces in the area.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that a certain Master Sergeant Ronburg from the US military has ordered the closure of the district hospital in Panamao town at 6 p.m. every night starting last November 30, without giving any reason.
The report quoted Doctor Silak Lakkian, chief of the Panamao District Hopsital.
A spokesman for the US Joint Special Operations Force, Lieutenant Commander Melissa Scheurmann, denied the report.
“All those [pieces of] information are pure allegations and that allegation is not true,” she was quoted as saying in an Inquirer report.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
