(Eagle News) — The Philippine National Police has accused the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army of being behind the recent attack on humanitarian and disaster response teams in Visayas and Mindanao that killed three persons and wounded several others.
In a statement, PNP Chief, Police General Dionardo B Carlos, condemned the twin attacks in Samar and Surigao del Sur provinces on government personnel and civilians engaged in preemptive evacuation operations ahead of the onslaught of Typhoon “Odette,” calling them “totally deplorable.”
Carlos vowed to mobilize the PNP to “arrest the authors and actors of these crimes against humanity”.
In Barangay Esperanza, Carmen, Surigao del Sur, the PNP said the NPA rebels ambushed a convoy of soldiers, health workers and evacuees moving to safer ground
Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander Pimentel reported the death of three civilians in the attack.
In Samar on the same day, two PNP Special Action Force troopers and a civilian were wounded in another NPA attack in Barangay del Rosario, Matuguinao while police and local government authorities were prepositioning relief supplies and provisions to high-risk communities.
Wounded in the attack were PCpl Abner Balante and PCpl Manuel Carlos, and civilian Jomar Diaz.
“These are totally deplorable actions by the local communist terrorists that deserve the strongest condemnation of civil society,” Carlos said.
