NPA attacks another Globe cellsite in Bicol

By Ronron
September 20, 2007

Suspected communist rebels attacked anew on Thursday another facility of Globe Telecommunications in the Bicol region even as the police and military have vowed to strengthen their defense against so-called enemies of the State on orders recently of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The latest incident happened at around 6:45 am yesterday at the Globe Relay Station in Barangay Tagpu, Mandaon town in Masbate province, the municipal police officer, Chief Inspector Brian Castillo, said in a phone interview with Manila Shimbun.

Castillo said around 20 men who are suspected to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) arrived at around 5:40 am at the Globe facility and first held the lone security guard at gunpoint.

The perpetrators, who were armed with M16 rifles with grenade launchers, M14, baby Armalite, and carbines, then proceeded to pour kerosene on the generator set of the facility and set it on fire.

When the flame was already huge, the suspects left on foot, heading towards the hinterlands. They were pursued later by joint elements of the Mandaon Policce, the neighboring Milagros Municipal Police Station, the Masbate Provincial Police Office, and the 506th Provincial Police Mobile Group.

“They spared the tower and other materials there,” Castillo said.

Castillo said the guard claimed the estimated cost of damage is almost P1 million.

Because of the burned generator set, the facility was shut down temporarily until the operator is assured that the electricity line is not affected, Castillo said.

“They (perpetrators) have no other intention there but for propaganda and destruction. They want to show to the public that they are still present and they are a force to reckon with,” Castillo said when asked of the motive.

As to the possibility of extortion being the motive, he said the police have yet to gather information from the local officials of Globe Telecoms regarding monetary demands by the communist group from them.

On September 17, suspected NPA rebels also attacked two Globe facilities in the towns of Pamplona and Libmanan in Camarines Sur province.

A day after, Arroyo ordered the military to strengthen further its defenses against the NPA and other security threat groups so as to create an environment conducive to business and investment./DMS