Rody to southern Mindanao execs: Protect people from Reds

DAVAO CITY – President Duterte has tasked local officials in Southern Mindanao to secure their constituents amid threats of renewed attacks by communist rebels, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said yesterday.

“The instructions were clear, tighten the security in their respective localities and secure the people especially after the attack in Bansalan, Davao del Sur,” Esperon said.

New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas last week attacked a police convoy in Barangay Sibayan in Bansalan.

At least four members of the police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) were killed and another was wounded in the incident.

The President first met with security officials led by Esperon, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año and Philippine National Police ( PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa over the weekend.

Duterte then convened the mayors of Davao del Sur later on Thursday, apprising them on the peace and order as well as security situation in the province.

Duterte also gathered the governors of Southern Mindanao also on the same day to assess the situation and update them on the status of the peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Make sure your people are safe and secure,” Duterte told the local officials in Filipino.

Duterte told the officials that the formal peace negotiations with the CPP- NPA would only resume if all the conditions he earlier set are complied with, including the end to attacks.

Duterte also rejected demands for the release of 400 political detainees as earlier stipulated by the CPP and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the rebel group negotiating peace with the government.

This developed as suspected NPA rebels ambushed two militiamen, killing one of them, in Ragay, Camarines Sur yesterday.

Officials identified the slain militiaman as Norbert Moneda, a member of the Civilian Armed Auxiliary (CAA) of Casay detachment in Lupi town.

The other victim, Roland dela Torre, survived the ambush and was brought to hospital for treatment.

Two civilians identified as Rey Barrientos and Versabi Barriento were hit by stray bullets, officials said.

The two militiamen were riding a motorcycle when they were waylaid by NPA rebels in Barangay Lanipga-Cawayan.

Also in Bicol, government troops clashed with NPA rebels in Matnog, Sorsogon on Thursday.

No one was reported hurt on the government side but an undetermined number of rebels were reportedly wounded in the clashes in Barangay Tupas, officials said.

Troops recovered an M-60 light machine gun and an improvised explosive at the scene of the firefight.

Meanwhile, four suspected rebels were arrested at a police checkpoint in Hungduan, Ifugao on Friday.

Police said the four rebels were riding tandem on two separate motorcycles when they were flagged down by policemen at a road checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion.

The four reportedly yielded two caliber .45 pistols, a pair of binoculars, a map of Ifugao province, a WiFi gadget, two cellphones and several subversive documents.

Police identified the arrested rebels as John Lee Navarro Hondrado and Justine Buarao Aquino.