PANGASINAN-NUEVA ECIJA BOUNDARY

THE police and the Philippine Army have increased their alert level in eastern Pangasinan anew following a firefight between elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Caranglan, Nueva Ecija on Wednesday, where at least nine NPA rebels were killed and one government trooper was wounded.

Police Provincial Director, P/ Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee, said his command is watching out for incursions by NPA who are fleeing from Nueva Ecija into Pangasinan.

The armed groups who clashed with the Philippine Army in Caranglan, Nueva Ecija were believed to be the same group of rebels that fought with elements of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 1 (RPSB1) twice in San Nicolas town on July 28 and August 25 this year.

He said the forces have been positioned to intercept NPA rebels who may be straying into Pangasinan after being driven out from Caranglan, Nueva Ecija by government forces.

Teams positioned around the towns of San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin and Umingan have been on full alert since July 28 this year.

When The PUNCH asked for his reaction to the statement of Eco Dangla of Bayan Muna Pangasinan condemning the killing of the three alleged treasurer hunters, Lee challenged the families of the three alleged NPA’s who were killed in an encounter last August 25, in the mountainous areas of Barangay Malico and Sta. Maria East in San Nicolas, to file cases and PNP, he said, is ready to prove that the three were all members of the NPA.

The three were from Lupao, Nueva Ecija; Isabela and another from San Nicolas.

Lee rejected the claim of Bayan Muna that the deaths were not results of an armed encounter. (Leonardo Micua/ Nora Dominguez)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments