By Mike Crismundo

BUTUAN CITY – An undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists swooped down on the quarry site of a power plant, and disarmed the company guards in Barangay Quezon Heights, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental province, a sketchy report reaching this city on Tuesday stated.

New People’s Army (MANILA BULLETIN)

Initial report received here stated that the raiders arrived at the quarry site of Minergy Coal Power Plant at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, and promptly disarmed the five company guards who were on-duty.

“While on their way to the site, they (CNTs) fired their arms but no one was hurt during the incident,” a police and military report also stated.

“At gunpoint, they forcibly took the five firearms of the security guards,” a separate report from the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office (PPO) and Army’s 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade.

The raiders were said to be members of Sub-Regional Command 1 of the CPP-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (SRC 1, NCMRC), it said.

After disarming the AK47 rifles of the security guards, the raiders immediately fled to southeast direction of Quezon Heights of that same town and province.

No one was reported hurt during the incident.

Motive for the attack is still not known.

The Misamis Oriental PPO headed by Col. Rober Bahian is on its way to the scene of the crime to investigate as the command also launched a hot pursuit operations to the fleeing rebels.

Bahian force is also investigating if there are other properties that were destroyed in their deliberate attack of an undefended area, Misamis Oriental PPO report also said.

A case of violation of RA 9851, the domestic law pertaining to International Humanitarian Law is now being established to be filed against known leaders of the CPP-NPA in the region, it said.

Meanwhile, the command section of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division on Tuesday ordered the 403rdBrigade to deploy combat troops in pursuing the raiders in a power plant in Balingasag town, Maj. Regie H. Go, regional spokesperson of the 4th ID said.

Elements 58th Infantry Battallion is undergoing hot pursuit operation to the fleeing CNTs. ###