Suspected communist rebels storm barangay hall in Negros Oriental

Suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) stormed a barangay hall in Manjuyod town, Negros Oriental on Wednesday morning.

According to Police Colonel Rizalito Gapas on Thursday, provincial director of the Negros Oriental police, more or less 20 communist rebels trooped to the barangay hall of Lamugong while local officials were conducting a meeting.

The armed communist rebels allegedly took the cellphone of the barangay captain as well as the radio at the barangay's disaster risk reduction office.

"There were reported sightings of the NPA... nagpakilala naman silang NPA doon, pumunta sila doon sa barangay hall... Kinuha nila 'yung cellphone ng barangay captain atsaka radio ng DRRMO," Gapas said in a phone interview with GMA News Online.

No one was hurt in the incident, Gapas said.

"Walang kaguluhan... wala namang report na nasaktan na nangyari o any violence to that effect," Gapas said.

Meanwhile, the Negros Oriental police chief assured the public that the peace and order situation in the province has been improving.

"Sa ngayon, mukhang improving naman 'yung situation natin, 'yung security situation sa Negros," Gapas said.

Last month, the whole province of Negros Oriental reached headlines due to the spate of killings in the area. 

Talks about placing the province under martial law arose in order to address the hostilities and maintain peace and order in area.

However, security forces have said the security situation in Negros Oriental have already returned to normal. — MDM, GMA News