NPAs flag down, delay convoy of Hinatuan relectionist mayor in Bislig

BUTUAN CITY - An estimated 60 fully-armed New People’s Army members flagged down and briefly delayed a vehicle convoy of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur re-electionist Mayor Candelario Viola on Sunday evening in Barangay San Vicente, Bislig City. The convoy of supporters, campaigners, and some councilor bets of the re-electionist mayor were flagged down and held briefly in Barangay San Vicente, Bislig City around 10:15 p.m. Sunday evening (April 25), a report from the Caraga Police Regional Information Office said. The communist rebels were allegedly headed by certain alias Juniel of the Front Committee-14 of the Northeastern Mindanao Region of the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front). The convoy was from their political rally in Barangay Tidman, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and were on their way home in Hinatuan town proper, the same report said. The suspected NPA rebels were looking for Mayor Viola, Vice Mayor Cumba, and Municipal Councilor Cumba who were not around at the time they were flagged. After discovering that Viola and two Cumba brothers were not around, the suspects released the suspects and fled to an unknown direction. The Hinatuan Municipal Police Office said it is still conducting the investigation. Last April 24, 2010 around 1:30 in the morning, re-electionist Mayor Alberto Tan of Bislig City together with his convoy were flagged down by more or less one hundred NPA rebels headed by Kumander Mandy of FC-14 in Road 13, Bislig City The said convoy from Poblacion, Bislig City was headed for a political campaign rally in Sitio Mamparasan, Barangay San Roque, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, initial investigation said. The communist rebels allegedly got irked why re-electionist Mayor Tan utilized the Philippine Army personnel as his advance security in the said area The rebels allegedly disarmed civilian security personnel/back-up of the Bislig Mayor. - Ben Serrano, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV