Security forces belittle NPA ability to stage big offensives
The Manila Times Thursday, October 14, 2004
Florante Solmerin
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/oct/14/yehey/prov/20041014pro1.html

CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela -- Military and police top brass here dismissed the renewed threats of the communist New People's Army (NPA) that it would launch massive attacks, saying the number of communist rebels has dropped tremendously because of "massive desertions."

Lt. Col. Roger Madalogdog, the spokesman for the Army's 5th Infantry Division, however, disclosed to The Manila Times that several NPA units have been sighted in different "weak areas" in Cagayan, Isabela and Quirino presumably preparing for "coordinated attacks."

"These small NPA units are not capable of launching massive attacks, but we're not discounting the possibility that they could sow terrorism in the countryside, targeting weak areas where we don't have enough military and police security forces,"
Madalogdog said.

He said the Armed Forces carry out security measures "all the time" owing to the continued threats of local communist guerrillas to launch "massive attacks" on specified targets.

A week ago Chief Supt. Alfredo de Vera aired the same security assessment particularly in some areas in Cagayan, where NPA rebels were clandestinely massing to launch tactical offensives.

Special strike teams from the regional and provincial Police Mobile Groups have been deployed in possible NPA targets, such as business facilities and government installations.

The police and military believe that the number of armed regulars of the NPA in Cagayan Valley has dwindled during the past two years.

On September 30 a day before Communist Party of the Philippines' (CPP) senior spokesman, Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, echoed the party's call on the NPA to launch massive tactical offensives, a band of an estimated 50 NPA rebels waylaid a patrolling group of soldiers of the 17th IB in Baggao, Cagayan.

The Army reported two unnamed soldier casualties-one of them was the nephew of former 5th ID chief, Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin-with six other wounded.

In a statement, however, Salvador del Pueblo, a spokesman for the National Democratic Front in Northeastern Luzon, said that seven government troops were killed in the ambush with six wounded during the firefight.

He said that NPA rebels belonging to the Henry Abraham Command (not the Fortunato Camus Command as earlier reported) confiscated two M-14 and two M-16 riffles, communication equipment, combat gear and documents with high-intelligence value.

Del Pueblo added that the ambushed soldiers were part of the brigade-size Operational Plan Phantom launched by the AFP three months ago in the towns of Baggao, Gattaran and Alcala, all in Cagayan.

Meanwhile Senior Supt. Felix Gabriel Caddali Jr., the Nueva Vizcaya police chief, disputed a report citing him as saying that NPA rebels were growing in the Casecnan area where the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) was located.

"As far as the Nueva Vizcaya police is concerned, we did not see any imminent threat by the NPA operating in the Casecnan area to sabotage the CMIPP. Matagal nang walang sightings ng NPA movement doon. The Nueva Vizcaya police, however, will continue to provide additional security at the site to augment the troops of the 71st IB," he said.

Caddali added that the peace and order situation in the province particularly on insurgency "still normal" as there was no sightings yet of NPA rebels in the province.

Col. Dacy Mariñas, commanding officer of the 54th IB based in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, said NPA rebel's movements were more active in Quirino than in Nueva Vizcaya.