BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Officials of the Regional Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council have assured villagers in the Cagayan Valley region that anti-insurgency efforts are being done to prevent a repeat of atrocities by New People’s Army rebels.
In a statement, Police Chief Supt. Robert Quenery, the new Philippine National Police regional director and RJPSCC chairman, said they will act swiftly to address the NPA insurgency in Cagayan Valley.
The statement was issued after the RJPSCC meeting with Major General Paul Atal, commander of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Gamu, Isabela.
“We have deployed our troops to the fullest in areas recently harassed and threatened by the NPA, and to intensify intelligence gathering to address these threats,” Quenery said.
The PNP issued the statement to allay fears of villagers over the series of NPA attacks on military and police stations. These include harassment of an Army patrol base in San Mariano, Isabela; a raid of the “Pulisya ti Umili” station in Barangay Annafatan in Amulung, Cagayan; and a raid at the police station in Maddela, Quirino.
Police said the rebels took 10 high-powered firearms and nine low-powered firearms in the attacks. Police Officer 2 Jerome Luwi Cardenas of the Maddela police station was killed during one of the raids.
The rebels also burned a private dump truck and a Mahindra police car.
He also encouraged villagers to cooperate in reporting to the PNP the communist rebels involved in the attacks and activities of armed criminal groups in Cagayan Valley.
“The support of the local government units are also needed to harness every resource of the government against these threats,” Quenery said.