PHL forces conduct air strike vs. NPA in Sagada

(Updated 3:22 p.m.) Philippine security forces on Friday launched air strikes against communist New People's Army rebels in Mountain Province, a day after a clash occurred in the area.

Police personnel, with air support from the Philippine Air Force, were going after a band of NPA rebels that engaged security forces in an encounter Thursday, resulting in the wounding of two policemen, police officials said.

"Ongoing pa po yung aming operation sa area, at meron pong dumating na air support from the Philippine Air Force, yung dalawang MG-520," said Superintendent Davy Vicente Limmong, spokesman of the Cordillera Regional Police.

"Nagkaroon po ng mga air strike sa area, so after that papasukin po ng ating mga personnel yung suspected location ng mga enemy," he added.

Cordillera police head Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong was quoted in a dzBB report as saying that two police personnel had been hurt by sniper fire on Thursday.

 Limmong said the rebels belong to the NPA's Leonardo Pacsi Command.

Peace zone

For their part, Sagada native Dom-an Macagne said in a Facebook post that the airstrike should not have happened because Sagada is a "peace zone."

"Two military helicopters hovering over Northern Sagada dropping bombs and spraying bullets in the watershed close to the villages. At 8.00 this morning, for 30 minutes, they did the same. Villagers watch(ed) helplessly in terror," Macagne said in the post.

"Sagada is a peace zone, violated many times. Calling all peace makers and peace builders... peace... peace... peace... as I type I hear the explosions..." she added.

The Sagada Peace Zone, one of seven peace zones in the country and recognized by government in 1989, supposedly bans military operations in the municipality, according to a 2007 book "Zones of Peace."

A separate report on state-run Philippines News Agency said a special unit of the Cordillera police engaged NPA rebels in gun battle in Barangay Agid, Sagada.

The PNA report said there were some 30 NPAs at the time and were believed to be among those who ambushed unarmed police trainees in Tadian town last June. — with Marc Jayson Cayabyab/LBG/KBK, GMA News