Caraga authorities not keen on red alert status

BUTUAN CITY — Caraga police and military authorities are not keen on placing all 71 municipal, three city and four provincial stations across the region under red alert status despite the spate of New People’s Army (NPA) attacks.

This month alone, NPA rebels have launched five attacks in the run-up to the 39th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ military arm on Dec. 26.

Last Wednesday, the insurgents swooped down on the police station of Loreto, Agusan del Sur, killing two police officers and wounding another.

Senior Superintendent Edgar Wasawas Agustin, deputy regional police director for administration, told The STAR in a phone interview that there is no reason to declare a "red alert" in the region.

He, however, said the regional police command has been warning the more than 3,000 police personnel across Caraga since October of possible NPA attacks in their respective areas, but which "fell into deaf ears."

Agustin, however, said the standing "alert status" stays until the end of the month.

Maria Malaya, NPA spokeswoman for northeastern Mindanao, warned the military and the police yesterday not to go near the venue of their anniversary plenum.

"If they are prepared to attack us in this time of our celebration, we are more than prepared for them," said Malaya in an interview with dxBR Bombo Radyo Butuan.