NPAs bomb cell site in Surigao

BUTUAN CITY – New People’s Army (NPA) rebels bombed a cell site of Globe Telecom in Claver, Surigao del Norte yesterday morning, the military said.

Lt. Col. Bernie Zaragosa, commanding officer of the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion based in Placer, Surigao del Norte, said the insurgents swooped down on the Globe cell site in Barangay Pabayo at around 4:45 a.m. and used an improvised detonating device in the attack.

Zaragosa said the tower’s security guard was left unhurt.

Last June 26, NPA rebels raided two municipal police stations and bombed a Globe tower on Siargao Island. A week later, they attacked another Globe cell site in Agusan del Sur.

Last Aug. 13, the insurgents burned a 10-wheeler truck allegedly used by illegal loggers in Sitio Masabong, Barangay Bayugan 3 in Rosario, Agusan del Sur.

NPA Front Committee 14 spokesman Ka Lalay owned up to the truck’s burning, saying they wanted to punish illegal loggers operating in the hinterlands of Rosario town.

Ka Lalay said they have repeatedly warned the illegal loggers, “but they didn’t listen to our warnings.”

Authorities, however, have accused the NPA of giving protection to illegal loggers in the area.

In Cagayan province, meanwhile, government troops and communist guerrillas clashed last Friday, resulting in the recovery of at least two firearms and heavy rebel casualties, the Army said.

Reports reaching Camp Melchor de la Cruz in Gamu, Isabela said the 10-minute firefight took place in remote Barangay Tabbac in Buguey town.

Maj. Gen. Melchor Dilodilo, chief of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said the rebels suffered a number of casualties as evidenced by the trail of blood on their escape route.

In less than two months, more than 15 rebels and soldiers were killed in a series of firefights in northern Luzon. – With Edith Regalado, Artemio Dumlao and Charlie Lagasca