70 NPA rebels attack forest product checkpoint in Agusan del Sur; 2 checkpoint personnel killed, 2 cops wounded

by Ben Serrano

      February 1, 2011

            BUTUAN CITY- Bad weather failed to discourage some 70 fully armed New People’s Army rebels in Caraga region after said armed New People’s Army rebels attacked a forest product revenue monitoring checkpoint in Barangay Pulang Lupa, Trento, Agusan del Sur early morning Tuesday, killing two civilian personnel of the said checkpoint seriously wounding two Trento PNP members

            Report reaching the Caraga Police Regional Office here identified the wounded policemen as PO3 Jorge Sabating and PO3 Mario Savellano, assigned at the joint LGU-DENR forest product Revenue Monitoring Station at Barangay Pulang Lupa.

            Casualties were identified as Fritz Dimzon, 20 and Carlito Tumandang, 39, both civilian volunteer personnel of the revenue monitoring checkpoint. 

            Police report claimed they suspected the NPA attackers belonged to Front Committee 20 of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Party Committee (NEMRPC).

The suspected New People’s Army armed attackers according to reports immediately fled to unknown direction the attack which lasted for about 15 minutes more or less. 

            Many checkpoints or some call it revenue monitoring stations in Caraga region have been criticized by no less than by Philippine Wood Producers Association and other environmental watch groups for alleged unabated corruption in the past calling it even as “CASHPOINTS’. 

            The New People’s Army was also criticized by the Philippine Government for collecting revolutionary taxes from logging and mining companies and allegedly are protecting illegal logging activities. 

The NPA rebels on the other hand lambasted allegations of wanton corruption by concerned government offices and law enforcement agencies why illegal logging and mining remained unabated in Caraga region. 

The attack took place as some PNP members in the region were assisting calamity stricken areas’ victims in their evacuation and relief operations efforts. (-30-)