NPAs torch Globe tower in Bataan

BAGAC, Bataan — About 30 heavily armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in southern Bataan set on fire the cellsite of Globe Telecom in the upland village of Ibis here Sunday night.

Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, Bataan deputy police director for operations, said the communist guerrillas raided the Globe tower at around 11:05 p.m and overpowered the three security guards who were on duty.

They disarmed the guards of two Armscor special caliber .38 revolvers and two cellphones before pouring gasoline at the radio room and the security guards quarters.

Gunnacao said security guards Gil Mendoza, Levy Bonife and Ray Bruno were caught by surprise by the rebels wearing fatigue uniforms and brandishing Armalite rifles who introduced themselves as government soldiers.

The suspects reportedly fled on foot to an unknown direction but the guards were able to free themselves and put off the fire before the place was totally burned.

Reports said the rebels often struck Globe communication facilities because of the management’s alleged refusal to pay revolutionary tax.

The Globe cellsite in Bagac town was the third Globe tower set on fire by the rebels in the past four years. The two others were located in Abucay and Hermosa towns.

Police and Army troopers were dispatched to four barangays in this town to apprehend the rebels who escaped under cover of darkness in the villages of San Antonio, Pag-asa, Paysawan and Saysain.

Several Army crack platoons are now scouring the coastal villages of this town to check reports from residents of the presence of armed groups in their secluded communities.

Meanwhile, a Samar town mayor admitted yesterday in a news conference that 10 out of 14 barangays in the remote town of San Jose de Buan are paying revolutionary taxes to the NPA.

Mayor Ananias Rebato, however, clarified that although San Jose de Buan is one of Samar’s far-flung towns, it is not an NPA-infiltrated area but rebels usually pass through the area as it is the boundary of the provinces of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

"I already expressed my appeal to barangay officials concerned to stop giving financial support to the NPA rebels. This is the reason why we continue to be poor," he said, recognizing though that village officials usually receive threats from the rebels.

In fact, the barangay captain of Cataydungan was abducted last December by armed men because of his failure to pay the P2,500 monthly revolutionary tax being demanded by the rebels.

Rebato said other barangays giving this amount to the communist guerrillas every two months were barangays Gusa, Adingayan, San Nicolas, Hagbay, Babaclayanm Hiduruma, Hilumot, Hibacaan and Can-aponti. — With Miriam Garcia Desacada