Army hunts down NPAs in N. Cotabato after bombings
Local News • 18:46 PM Tue Jan 29, 2019
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
Army and soldiers inspect a n electrical wire used by communist rebels in setting off an anti-personnel mine in Magpet, North Cotabato that killed a cop and injured 8 others. (PNP photo)
KIDAPAWAN CITY –- The military in North Cotabato has launched manhunt against
communist rebels who set off two roadside bombs that left a police officer dead
and injured eight others on Monday night.
Colonel Erlich
Noel Paraso, the commander of the 19th Infantry Battalion, said
operation is going on in the mountains of Magpet, especially near the country’s
highest peak.
Senior
Inspector Rolando Dillera, Magpet town police chief, identified the slain
police officer as PO1 Christopher Anadon of North Cotabato police mobile force.
Anadon, 29 of
Parang, Maguindanao, was the driver of one of the police cars. He was initially
injured but later died at a hospital in Kidapawan City.
The victims
were on board police cars on their way back to the police office when two
anti-personnel mines exploded in Barangay Poblacion, Magpet, North Cotabato at
6 p.m.
Also injured
were PO1 Stephenson Batoon Parreño, 27 of Carmen, North Cotabato, SPO1 Michael
Mariano Escaño, 42 of Kidapawan City, PO2 Marinerl Pastores, 38 of Midsayap,
North Cotabato, PO1 Eliezer Langcuban, 27 of Aleosan, North Cotabato, PO1
Darrel Ferolina, 26 of Midsayap, North Cotabato, PO1 Phil Jan Ray Canarejo, 27
of Aleosan and PO1 Mark Vincent Capilitan, 30 of Kidapawan City.
Paraso said
the roadside bombing was the NPAs desperate move to get back at government
forces for the losses they incurred during military operations.
We are
hunting them down, we will get them, we know exactly where they are, its just a
matter of time that justice will be served, Paraso said in a radio interview.
Paraso also
challenged the NPA sympathizers like the militant Karapatan and Bayan Muna to
issue statement condemning the bombing against police officers.
I challenged
you to condemn the rebel atrocities, much as you condemn when there is military
operation, he added.
Paraso assured
that no civilians are affected in the on-going military offensive.
Paraso also said that
the bombing was a retaliatory attack against government forces after a rebel
was killed and his son injured during Army encounter with NPA in Barangay
Bagumbayan, Magpet on Sunday morning.