AFP condemns NPA for allegedly attacking quake-hit Surigao

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday condemned the attack allegedly staged by the New People’s Army (NPA) against the soldiers escorting a nongovernment organization who was then conducting a relief operation in Surigao after the 6.7 magnitude earthquake.

On Tuesday evening, NPA rebels reportedly fired upon the soldiers of the 30th Infantry Battalion travelling along barangay Linunggaman, San Francisco, Surigao del Norte with the ABSCBN foundation team who distributed relief goods in the earthquake-affected community.

No casualties were reported on the incident.

However, NPA Front 16 spokesperson "Ka Oto" denied staging the attack, claiming that it was the government troops who fired at them first.

Major General Benjamin Madrigal, commander of the 4th infantry division, said the recent "harassment" of the NPA to the government troops only shows that the rebel group "cannot be trusted and that they are continuously deceiving the country."

“Their recent declaration of ceasefire in that area is nothing but lie and deception...While we are in the area helping our people to rise up again after they were badly hit by the recent earthquake, the NPA terrorists are also busy in making our people's lives miserable,” he said.

Earlier, the NPA declared ceasefire in the area in order for the AFP and all the government units and agencies to facilitate the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response operations and to restore normalcy of the situation after the earthquake shook the entire province. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/ SunStar Philippines)