Iloilo cops unscathed after rebel harassment

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

No one was injured after suspected New People’s Army (NPA) allegedly tried to harass members of the Tubungan Police Station using a land mine afternoon of Dec 17, 2020.

The incident happened nine days before the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)’s 52nd founding anniversary.

Police reports indicated that Lieutenant Jose Romel Samson, Tubungan police chief, and his team were conducting mobile patrol on board a police car when an improvised explosive device went off as they were navigating Barangay Balicua, some 2.5 kilometers from the town proper, around 2:45 pm Thursday.

Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo police chief, said the area where the incident is on high ground, thus vehicles must slow down when traversing the area.

The area where the IED was planted was far from the vehicle and the explosion only broke its window on the driver’s side and left scratches and holes on the left portion of the body.

The patrol car sped off and all officers reached the police station safe.

Gorero said the bomb was planted 30-40 meters from the road which is divided by a river.

“We don’t think they planned to engage our troops,” he said.

Police believe that the rebels were just sending a signal that they are still a force to reckon with, despite their dwindling numbers and waning control among the residents, Gorero said.

After the explosion, residents claimed to have seen two teenagers running away from the area.

Following the incident, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 again cautioned the officers to be on alert and always maintain vigilance.

They were also told to maintain defensive security posture.

Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said that intensified monitoring was conducted to identify the whereabouts of the suspect/s.

An advanced command post was also established in neighboring municipalities.

Malong said they again alerted high-risk municipalities all over the region.

The PNP has been on alert for rebel attacks whenever the CPP is about to celebrate its anniversary.

This year, the government refused to declare a holiday truce with the CPP-NPA.

The rebel group, on the other hand, claimed they would fight back if attacked.

“But look what they did? They instigated the attack. They were on offensive mode,” Malong said.

But she claimed that such move does not surprise them at all.

“After all, the NPAs are known for their treacherous actions and banditry,” Malong said.

Aside from reminders, “Red Teaming” operations were done in the area to remind police personnel to be on guard against rebel attacks.

On its Facebook page, the Tubungan Police Station conducted several anti-insurgency efforts in the past several days.

Samson and his team participated in the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) Immersion in Barangay Ago, Tubungan on December 16.

They were joined by the members of the Basic Services Delivery Team (BSDT), municipal officials and employees, Doctor to the Barrio, Department of Health-Human Resource for Health, representatives from national government agencies, local job-hired laborers, and different line agencies of the Municipal Task Force-End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC).

Also in attendance were members of the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion.

They also participated in a similar activity on December 10 at barangays Igdampog Sur and Igdampog Norte.

Two days before that, they also took part in the RCSP immersion in Barangay Igpaho.