NPA disarms lawmaker's group in Surigao del Sur

Communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels disarmed a group of a Mindanao congressman after it entered their "territory" in Surigao del Sur province. Radio dzXL reported the party of Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay entered Kabangahan village in Tago town with armed men and elements from the regional police. NPA spokesperson for Mindanao Jorge Madlos aka “Ka Oris" admitted in an interview over local radio station in Butuan City Thursday morning that NPAs disarmed the convoy of Pichay Wednesday afternoon. Earlier, the Philippine National Police regional office reported that the group of Pichay and Tago Surigao del Sur Mayor Jun Pimentel were flagged down by an estimated 100 fully-armed rebels on a national highway in Barangay Cabangahan, Tago, Surigao del Sur Wednesday morning. In the same radio interview aired on RMN’s dxBC, Ka Oris claimed around ten high powered firearms and ammunition were seized by NPA rebels from Pichay’s group. He added that four of the ten seized high powered firearms were AK-47 while three others were M-16 Armalite rifles with live ammunition. He added that the NPAs eventually allowed Pichay's group to leave. — Ben Serrano/LBG, GMANews.TV