By AARON RECUENCO & LIEZLE IÑIGO
The New People’s Army (NPA) still seems bent on attacking government authorities every time an opportunity arises.
The past few days, the rebels attacked a camp in Botolan, Zambales while about 30 heavily-armed rebels attacked the house of a retired Army man in Cagayan Valley Sunday.
In Zambales, the first attack was carried out by at least 20 armed men on the patrol base of the Provincial Public Safety Company in Barangay Taugtog in Botolan town at around 1 a.m. yesterday, according to Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, director of the Central Luzon regional police.
Aquino said the PPSC personnel were able to return fire and thwarted the attempt of the rebels to overrun the patrol base.
Almost 15 minutes later, five suspected communist rebels were seen crawling towards the Botolan Police Station through a dimly-lit portion of the station at the back.
“Our personnel immediately fired their firearms towards the direction of the five persons and these prompted them to run away,” said Aquino.
The two attacks that were thwarted came after the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership ordered police commanders to intensify their respective camp defense plan following the raid of communist rebels on a police station in Iloilo province.
Meantime about two dozen rebels strafed the residence of Army veteran Dexter Remodaro who was not at his home when the incident happened Sunday night in Baggao, Cagayan.
However two residents of the area identified as Vilma and Jeraise Raguingan were hit by stray bullets but are now said to be recovering well at a nearby hospital.