AFP, NPA trade accusations

MANILA, Philippines – The military and the New People’s Army (NPA) traded accusations yesterday of ceasefire violations in an encounter in the province of Mindoro.

Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said members of the NPA fired at Army troops waiting to receive a surrendered NPA at Sitio Upper Balading, Barangay Bayotbot, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro midnight of Dec. 23.

Citing the report of Lt. Col. Roger Percol, commander of the 80th Infantry Battalion based in Occidental Mindoro, Burgos said the rebels attempted to sabotage the surrender.

“Our troops had to take up combat position thus forcing the NPAs to withdraw and paving the way for the pre-arranged surrender of one of their comrades to push through,” he said.

The NPA member who agreed to surrender, whose identity is being withheld, has been placed in the custody of the 80th Infantry Battalion.

Ka Higom Magarang, spokesman of the NPA Lucio de Guzman Command, refuted the claim of the military and accused the Army troops of launching an attack leading to the arrest of three civilians in the area. 

Magarang said prior to the surprise assault, their fighters were just resting inside a house in Sitio Balading. When the Army troops attacked, they retreated to avoid having civilian casualties.

He also claimed that one of those arrested, Christian Bascos, 26, of Magsaysay town, was only visiting his girlfriend, while the two others were visiting a sick relative.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), in a statement, said Percol disregarded the ceasefire agreement by “treacherously” deploying his forces against an NPA unit visiting a house in the area of the encounter. 

He said the Army forces assaulted the house visited by the NPA unit. 

“To avoid the residents being hit in an exchange of gunfire, the NPA forces did not retaliate and simply took cover and immediately left through gaps in the encirclement operation,” the CPP said.

“They (NPA unit) thought that the other side would really keep their word and respect the terms of the ceasefire,” the CPP said.

The government and the NPA have a standing ceasefire agreement effective from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3 in celebration of the Yuletide season.

– With Rhodina Villanueva