By FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent
COMMUNIST rebels launched a series of operations targeting tribal warriors allegedly engaged in marijuana plantations, killing two lumad and seizing several high-powered firearms along the border of Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur provinces on Wednesday.
Allan Juanito, spokesperson of the New People’s Army (NPA) in northcentral Mindanao, said rebels also burned three vegetable and banana warehouses in Barangay Putian, Libona town in Bukidnon.
Juanito said the tribal warriors targeted belong to the Alamara group that allegedly terrorized lumad communities along the boundaries of Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon.
The attacks came as the government released eight National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants from various jails so they can attend the peace talks with the government in Oslo, Norway.
“While the NPA anticipates the upcoming ceasefire order from the CPP due to the formal resumption of the peace talks on Aug. 22-27, it will carry on its activities of defending the interests of the peasants, workers and lumads, preserving the natutal resources and inhibiting criminality and drugs in its scope of operations,” Juanito said in a statement.
Juanito said the tribal warrior killed by the rebels was identified as Manlumakad Bocalas and a still unidentified companion.
He said they also seized a Garand rifle, two carbine rifles, five shotguns and two sacks of marijuana.
Juanito said the sacks of marijuana were burned in front of the residents in Sitio Katablaran, Barangay Kanangaan, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.
Col. Lennon Babilonia, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion, confirmed the attacks but said the rebels assaulted the lumad leaders who have opposed their incursions in their villages.
Babilonia said the rebels attacked the home of Sammy Diwangan in Sitio Katablaran while the lumad leader was away.
He said Bocalas, the fatality, was also a known anti-communist lumad leader.
Babilonia confirmed the rebels took several firearms from the house of Diwangan.
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