Reds admit raiding Davao Oriental police station

By Ronron
August 26, 2007

The communist New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed attacking the municipal police station of San Isidro in Davao Oriental last Wednesday where several firearms were taken away.

In a statement dated August 23, 2007 but released only Sunday, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said elements of the NPA’s 3rd Pulang Bagani Company and Wilfredo Zapanta Command conducted the raid as part of the movement’s “counter-offensive operation” against the anti-insurgency Operation Plan (OPLAN) Bantay Laya of the government.

“It is a punishment for the police, military and paramilitary forces of the rotten and criminal US-Arroyo regime that uses its war machinery against civilians and the people,” the CPP said in the statement.

The statement said the rebels who participated in the raid carted away 11 M16 rifles, two .45 caliber pistol, one 9mm pistol and several ammunitions. They also took two shotguns from the company guards of the nearby SODACO Agricultural Corporation.

The police has earlier reported that when the rebels arrived, they were in military uniforms and pretended that they were to report about the supposed capture of an NPA member.

The failure of the police personnel on duty to respond to the situation caused their administrative relief.

The CPP statement said the “red fighters” were able to “successfully” raid the San Isidro Municipal Police Station “without firing a single shot.”

Police said the raiders were armed with several long firearms during the incident.

“The NPA shall continue to defend the masses and the people. It will continue to launch tactical offensives and special operations against Gloria Arroyo’s fascist machinery in the ever-deepening and widening strength of the revolution and advance the protracted people’s war,” the CPP statement reads.

The Philippines has been battling the insurgency problem for 38 years now and prospects of peace remain nil since the negotiations between the government and the movement bogged down in August 2004 following the latter’s inclusion in the terror list of the US and European Union’s governments.

The Philippine military estimates the current strength of the NPA to be no more than 7,100./DMS