Army warns against SParU attack

By: Jennifer P. Rendon 

After a series of blows, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (NPA) might retaliate through its special partisan units (SParU).

Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61st Infantry Battalion commander, said they received reports that the NPA’s Komiteng-Rehiyon (KR-P) might deploy SParU relative to the CPP’s 51st founding anniversary on Dec. 26, 2019.

Members of SParU or the death squad of the NPA, the armed wing of the CPP, might not necessarily come from Panay area, he said.

SParU later evolved into the so-called “sparrow units,”

Batara said the most possible targets are government agents in the military and police force.

Lately, the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division declared that CPP-NPA has been greatly hurt with the government’s implementation of Executive Order No. 70.

Signed in Dec. 4, 2018, EO 70 is about “Institutionalizing the Whole-Of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating A National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of A National Peace Framework.”

“So, we’re not also discounting the possibility that those who are supporting Task Force ELCAC will also be subject of this possible NPA attack,” Batara said.

It can be noted that EO 70 paved the way for the creation of Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).

But Batara said all units in Panay were told to be on alert.

Government forces were also guarding vital installations and economic key points against possible rebel attacks.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has also further intensified its combat operations.

In fact, joint elements of the 1st Iloilo Mobile Force Company led by Police Major Abner Jordan and Regional Mobile Force Company led by Police Captain Bonifacio Alabe Jr. encountered around 15 fully-armed men believed to be NPA members at Sitio Cadingli-an, Barangay Boloc in the town of Tubungan, Iloilo morning of Dec. 21.

The operating troops said they were moving towards their “third objective” when they encountered the rebels. The exchange of gunfight lasted for about 10 minutes.

There was no casualty on the government side.

In a statement, PRO-6 said the joint combat operation was launched after validating the information from concerned citizens about the presence of armed men in the area.

Meanwhile, Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, ordered commanders of nearby stations to be on alert to thwart possible diversionary tactics.

He further advised field commanders to intensify the gathering of information and ensure timely submission of information relative to the incident.

PRO-6 mobile forces are conducting proactive combat operations to thwart possible NPA attacks relative to the CPP founding anniversary.