BACOLOD CITY – About 10 to 15 unidentified armed men believed to be New People’s Army rebels barged inside the barangay hall of Lamugong, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental last Wednesday and took the handheld radio and cellular phones of barangay officials and residents who were holding a meeting at the barangay hall.
Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Army 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the NPA rebels did not harm anyone nor threatened the people there. But they took the village chief’s handheld radio and some cellular phones, he added.
Arevalo said the armed men stayed in the area for more than an hour and left.
It was a market day and some residents there were listening to the discussions of barangay officials about the proposed barangay identification card system to determine those who genuine residents of the village, Arevalo said.
Arevalo said police were ready to respond when it happened but they advised them not to go because they might be ambushed by the NPA while on their way to the area.
Instead, military troops conducted pursuit operations, he added.
Arevalo said the NPA appeared in the barangay following the Army’s discovery of their bomb factory in Sipalay City over the weekend. “It’s desperation on their part because that factory is a big loss to them,” he added. (Glazyl Masculino)
