NPA extortion behind bus torching in Cotabato —military

KIDAPAWAN CITY - An officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said extortion by the New People's Army was the motive behind the torching of a passenger bus in Makilala, Cotabato on Monday morning.

Colonel Harold Argamosa, commanding officer of the 39th Infantry Battalion based in Makilala, confirmed that extortion led to the torching of a passenger bus owned by the Yellow Bus Line (YBL) in Sitio Bagong Silang, Barangay San Vicente.

Argamosa said that based on investigation, the bus company received extortion letters and several calls from the Gueriila Front 72 of the NPA asking for protection money.

He however did not disclose how much money the NPA rebels demanded.

Argamosa said the same rebel group was responsible for the torching of at least seven buses in Koronadal City.

The incident in Makilala was the first in north Cotabato.

However, it is the 16th bus burning incident since January, Argamosa said.

New recruits

According to Argamosa, the suspects responsible for burning the brand new de luxe bus were all new recruits of the rebel group.

He based his observation on the firearms used by the NPA rebels in staging the attack.

“They used short firearms particularly caliber .45 pistol. Therefore I can conclude that they are all new in the organization,” Argamosa said in a statement.

He added that there were at least two female recruits among the attackers.

Divertionary tactics

Meantime, the military believes the bus torching in Makilala is just a divertionary tactic as they intensified operation against the group following the Bansalan ambush that killed at least four police officers last week.

“Perhaps the rebels wanted us to stop our operation against them. That is why they created another scenario to divert our operation,” Col. Argamosa said.

Argamosa said since they launched the intensified operation against the NPA, their troop was able to recover four high-powered firearms and several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the hinterparts of Makilala and Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Argamosa also said that although Bansalan is no longer under their jurisdiction, their troop also overran the rebel camp and found several subversive documents.

Peace spoilers?

Col. Argamosa claimed that the NPA leadership cannot control their men on the ground while they are negotiating a peace deal with the government.

He denied reports that there were peace spoilers who wanted to derail the peace process between the rebel group and the government.

“We all want peace, the reason the military is urging both sides—the government and the NPA—to forge for the bilateral ceasefire to formally begin the peace negotiations,” Argamosa explained.

Argamosa however said that if the national government will order them to stop their intensified operation against the NPA, they will abide to pave the way for peace talks.

“But for as long as there are no orders reaching our side, we will continue to operate against them (NPA) particularly in North Cotabato area,” Argamosa said.

He added that those responsible for bus torching in Cotabato are NPA rebels hiding in the mountainous portion of Makilala-Tulunan and Colombio in Sultan Kudarat province.

To prevent similar incidents from happening in Cotabato province, military personnel were tasked to conduct highway patrol and random checkpoints along major thoroughfares where the presence of the rebel group is visible, Argamosa said. —KG, GMA News