News Updates - 22 December 2009 (Tuesday)

Rebels pose as press, raid Quezon police station

By Gina P. Elorde and AFP

The Daily Tribune – www.tribune.net

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Communist insurgents disguised themselves as journalists to gain entry into a police station before looting it, a report reaching the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City said yesterday.

According to the report, around 4 p.m. Sunday, five women presented themselves as members of the media who were ostensibly seeking an interview with those manning the San Narciso Municipal Police Station in Quezon province.

In the course of the conversation, however, other rebels dressed as soldiers burst in and subdued eight officers.

The guerrillas escaped with five M16 rifles, five handguns, four shotguns and assorted ammunition, computer equipment, money and police uniforms, the report said. They also reportedly took three cellphones and cash amounting to P30,000.

No one, however, was hurt in the raid.

Police and military troops were immediately dispatched to pursue the rebels, resulting in the recovery of three getaway vehicles used by the insurgents.

The police manning the station were ordered immediately relieved for “negligence.” They will be subjected to re-training and pre-charge evaluation for violating the operational procedures of the PNP.

The PNP quickly ordered the setting up of checkpoints in vital points in a bid to net the rebels.

It also placed all police units nationwide on full alert as the anniversary of the communist movement approaches on Dec. 26. The occasion is usually marked by the rebels with heightened attacks on government installations and security forces.

The 5,000-strong NPA is the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a Maoist rebellion since 1969.

The NPA have been stepping up attacks in recent weeks, targeting the military and police and rural businesses who refuse their extortion demands.

On Dec. 15, nine rebels and one soldier were slain as troops attacked an NPA camp while two government troops and a bystander were slain on Dec. 17 when NPA fighters attacked a road project, both in the southern island region of Mindanao.

CHR: Walang Martial Law abuses sa Maguindanao

Abante – www.abante.com.ph

Martes – 22 Disyembre 2009

Walang nakita na anumang uri ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR) sa loob ng walong araw na martial rule sa lalawigan ng Maguindanao at iba pang lugar na sakop ng deklaras­yon ng Martial Law.

Ayon kay CHR Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag, wala umanong naidokumentong reklamo ng rights abuses laban sa Armed Forces of the Philip­pines (AFP) at Philippine National Police (PNP), ang mga grupo ng abogado na ipinadala ng komisyon upang magsagawa ng field surveys sa Maguindanao.

Ang AFP at PNP ang nagtulong para ipatupad ang batas militar sa mga raids at seizures sa lahat ng bahay at ari-arian ng angkan ng Ampatuan. Dito, nakarekober ang grupo ng daan-daang high po­wered firearms, libu-libong ammu­nitions at iba pang armas panggiyera na ga­mit ng mga CVOs at private armies ng mga Ampatuan sa kanilang pamama­yagpag bilang political warlords sa Maguindanao at pagpatay sa 57 inosenteng sibil­yan sa masaker noong Nob­yembre 23, 2009.

Pinuri naman ni Pangu­long Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang AFP at PNP sa paghawak sa sitwas­yon sa Maguindanao sa pamamagitan ng pag-aresto sa mga Ampatuan bilang perpetrators umano ng 57 biktima. Sa kabila umano ng ilang lapses ng AFP at PNP, nagawa pa rin ng mga ito ang kanilang trabaho bilang protektor ng mga Filipino at mga Discipline at Professional Armed Insti­tutions ng gobyerno.

Wala rin umanong pang­hihinayang ang Pangulo nang ideklara nito ang Martial Law dahil nagresulta ito ng katatagan sa lugar, naaresto ang mga Ampatuan, nabawi ang mga ga­mit sa giyera at nadurog ang kanilang private armies, bagay na nagpabalik sa lala­wigan ng Maguindanao sa normal na sitwasyon.