4 Iloilo towns in danger as 'Oplan Sabotage' takes off
As feared and earlier uncovered by government intelligence reports, "Oplan Sabotage" of the communist terrorists New People's Army (NPA) did take off with a Globe Telecom cell site as its first casualty. And more are expected, if said destabilization plan pushes through, with the extortion reportedly now up to P100 million not only to Globe but other cellular phone companies operating in Western Visayas..
In fact, based on subversive documents recovered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) here, four Iloilo towns are in the target list including Tubungan, Iloilo where the initial bombing and burning of the cell site tower occurred. The other three Iloilo towns are Alimodian, Maasin and Januiay.
The P100 M demand was confirmed by Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, Commanding Officer of the 32nd Civil Relations Group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRS-AFP) said when reached for comment yesterday by The News Today (TNT). Captain Marquez made earlier disclosures of the execution of "Oplan Sabotage" following recovered subversive documents in a communist camp in Calinog, Iloilo about two weeks ago.
Military and police forces responded to a late evening call for help by locals in Mount Apik, Barangay Ambariol, Tubungan, Iloilo minutes after huge explosions were heard. Two armed security guards of Globe company were no match to some 15 armed communist terrorists who set up the improvised bombs by the company's cell site tower. The two were tied and reportedly manhandled by the NPA rebels until the barangay captain with a number of locals checked the area.
To recall, TNT gathered of surveillance made on a group of communist cadres from the National Capital Region reportedly out on a mission to oversee execution of "Oplan Sabotage."
An alleged brainchild of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), main targets of the "Oplan Sabotage" are cell sites of cellular phone companies who refused to pay extortion money cum 'revolutionary taxes.'
In a news release, Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Civil Relations Group of the Philippine Army here slammed the communist hierarchy saying the burning of cell sites are clear acts of economic sabotage.
"By destroying the source of income of the labor sector, this will result to lost jobs, unemployment, hunger and poverty which the radical communist fronts want to happen. This is so because they look at the poor as source of issues and exploitation against the government," Captain Marquez said. "Oplan Sabotage on different communications company in the region is violating the freedom of communication especially the affected masses and proletariat."
First stage of "Oplan Sabotage" was said to be the May 23, 2007 incident in Uson, Masbate where a group of communist terrorists NPA rebels burned two towers of Globe company.
"The captured terrorist extortionist reveals that after Bicol region Globe-tower burning incident, a special team of five CPP-NPA-NDF political cadres from NCR will shift and reroute to Region VI to oversee Oplan Sabotage," Captain Marquez continued.
Target areas in the Province of Antique are cell sites in Hamtic, Sibalom and San Remegio. In Capiz, cell sites in peril are those located in the towns of Maayon, Dumarao, Tapaz and Sigma while tightened Army watch was also called for in the cities of San Carlos and Kanlaon in Negros Occidental.
"These terrorists are demanding extortion money from different cell phone companies amounting to P80 to P100 million a year. Some sadly, have likely given-in to the demands which is really tantamount to rebellion and being accessories to terrorism by aiding the enemies of the Filipino masses," the news release continued. "The collected amount are used by the communist terrorists to buy firearms and supply to ambush Army and police troopers, murder of local leaders and the Filipino masses."
The cell site tower bombings are part of a larger picture on planned attacks and terror plot in Western Visayas, reason why the AFP here has since heightened random patrols in target areas.