Troops warned of NPA attacks
NDRRMC says 26 dead, 46 missing in entire Visayas while Eastern Visayas police say 32 dead in region alone.
President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday warned the police and military of possible attacks by the New People Army’s (NPA) in areas hit by tropical storm Urduja (international name: Kai-tak).
Duterte issued the warning shortly after the reported attack of around 50 NPA rebels against Philippine Army troops tasked to deliver food supplies to storm victims in Catubig, Northern Samar.
The attack resulted in the wounding of two soldiers identified as Corporal Yzazel Laure and Private First Class Ronald Gomez.
During a visit to Biliran province, one of the areas hit hardest by the storm, Duterte said the NPA was “taking advantage” of the situation.
He directed state forces anew to shoot communist rebels who are carrying guns.
“I’d like to address myself now to the police and the military. Leyte and Samar (are) the hotbed of insurgency. They are quiet (but) very active, especially here in Samar. Ambuscades are everywhere and even during times wheb they’re not supposed to make any single movement to violence,” Duterte said.
“Be careful. There’s a gun everywhere. The New People’s Army, they have guns which are manufactured locally. And I said, to those who have guns, shoot them. I would rather see dead enemies of the state,” he added.
The death toll from Urduja is expected to rise in Biliran, with more than 30 persons still missing after six landslides were reported across the province.
Sofronio Dacillo Jr., head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), said in a telephone in- terview that as of 10 a.m. Monday, the death toll stood at 23 while 13 people were reported injured and 33 were reported missing.
In Barangay Lucsoon in Naval, provincial capital of Biliran Island, seven bodies buried under mud and rocks have been recovered as of 6 a.m. Monday. Eighteen other members of at least five families were believed to be still buried at the site.
“We are hoping that we will still be able to rescue some people in the area,” Dacillo said.
Dacillo said the Lucsoon tragedy was one of “six major landslides” in the aftermath of Urduja.
Several people were also reported to have perished in a landslide in Barangay Macalpi in Caibiran town, according to a post by Facebook account Biliran Island.
In the entire Visayas area, at least 26 people were confirmed dead while 46 others were still missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said five fatalities were from Leyte, one from Eastern Samar and two from Samar.
The Eastern Visayas police, however, said the death toll has increased to 32 as of Monday evening.
Four of the region’s six provinces have been placed under state of calamity. At least 11 cities and towns also issued the same declaration.
Meanwhile, Marasigan said 34 people were injured due to vehicular accidents and falling debris in Leyte and Samar.
She, however, clarified that they were still validating and confirming the fatalities.
Meantime, she said a total of 44,369 families from the Bicol region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Caraga were evacuated and were staying in 608 evacuation centers.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has distributed P37.6 million worth of family food packs and non-food items to the affected population.
Marasigan said the government also recorded 48 totally wrecked houses while 101 others were partially damaged in Eastern Visayas and Caraga regions.
Marasigan said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has recorded four bridges in Biliran, Leyte and Samar that were not passable. There were also 17 unpassable road sections in Mimaropa, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas and Caraga.
However, she said the agency was already conducting clearing operations in the affected facilities as well as in areas hit by massive landslides.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Urduja has slightly weakened as it makes its way outside the Philippine area of responsibility.