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Sunday, March 02, 2008

Public asked to help vs cell site attacks

20 September 2007

LEGAZPI CITY—THE PHILIP-pine Army in Bicol yesterday appealed to villagers living near vital telecommunications installations to send information on possible future attacks by New People’s Army rebels after the recent torching of towers and a relay station in Sorsogon and Camarines Sur.

On Monday night, about 20 NPA members burned a Globe Telecommunications cell site in Barangay Batang in Pamplona town and its relay station in Barangay Tinangguihan in Libmanan town, both in Camarines Sur.

The burning of the relay station near the Maharlika Highway damaged its detachable cabin worth P1.6 million.

Police said the burning of the cell site caused damages of at least P150,000.

Sgt. Armando Escote, officer in charge of the 21st Civil Relations Unit of the Armed Forces in Bicol, cited intelligence reports as saying that the attacks were due to the company’s refusal to pay “revolutionary taxes” to the NPA.

Earlier, NPA members attacked a Globe tower in Barangay Sapngan in Bulusan, Sorsogon, on Friday. One guard was wounded.

The rebels disarmed the lone guard, identified as Emmanuel Forteo, before bombing the tower, police said.

An off-duty guard, identified as Pedro Fortuno, was wounded and brought to the Gubat Hospital.

Escote said Monday’s burning was the third attack on the Pamplona site while the attack on the Libmanan relay station was the second, with the first attempt preempted by reports from civilians. Ephraim Aguilar with report from Bobby Labalan, Inquirer Southern Luzon

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