Army deploy troops to Magpet after clash

MAGPET,
North Cotabato (Sept. 19) – The military here has deployed more troops and
additional buffer force to contain abuses by communist guerrillas, an Army
colonel today said.

Colonel
Nilo Vinluan, chief of the 57th Infantry Battalion, said a wounded New
Peoples Army (NPA) commander is being kept by his men in the hinterlands of
Magpet, North Cotabato.
That
is why they have been massing in the area and while there they collect
revolutionary taxes from farmers,” Vinluan said.
Vinluan
said his men are still pursuing about 100 NPA guerrillas in the borders of
Magpet and Arakan, both in North Cotabato, known bailiwick of communist rebels
operating near the country’s highest peak.
Vinluan
said the rebels were the same group who attacked in May the police headquarters
in President Roxas, also in North Cotabato.
They
are there, they are making noise, we will continue running after them,” Vinluan
told reporters.Three
policemen belong to the quick reaction team of the North Cotabato police office
were hurt when a roadside bomb set off by NPAs in Barangay Bagumbayan, Magpet.
The
police were responding to reports the NPAs are massing in Barangay
Bagumbayan. A 30-minute fire fight
ensued and the rebels fled to the hinterlands of Magpet. Meanwhile,
police here released seven persons invited for questioning after they were
sighted near the spot where a roadside bomb went off and wounded three
policemen.
Inspector
Raelan Mamon, Magpet police chief, said the seven suspects were also seen close
to the spot where suspected New Peoples Army rebels clashed with government forces
in sitio (sub-village) Natutungan and Bagumbayan.
The
suspects, James Villareal, Ibrahim Bintayao, 48 Gloria Bintayao, 47 Jovannie Andaya, 23
Richard Icling, 39 Jesreal Andaya, 20 and Jerwin Andaya, 19 all residents of Purok
Singko, Barangay Noa, Magpet, North Cotabato. Vinluan
said they were invited, not arrested, to shed light on their suspicious
presence in the area.

Mamon said
they were negative of powder burns.
Police
responded to reports that the NPA were forcing villagers to pay revolutionary
taxes.

Two bombs were
set off by the guerrillas that wounded three cops.Vinluan and
Mamon could not say whether the rebels also suffered fatalities.