A 31-year old neophyte policeman was killed while 12 others were wounded after three improvised explosive devices (IEDs), planted by the New People’s Army (NPA), went off at Maasin, Iloilo Friday afternoon. The incident was the second IED attack perpetrated by the local terror group in Panay Island since President Rodrigo R. Duterte called off the peace talks with the communist movement, formalizing it with an order issued on Nov. 23. Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, Police Regional Office-6 spokesman, identified the fatality as Police Officer 1 Joefill Odon, a resident of Cabatuan, which is adjacent to Maasin. The 12 injured are now in stable condition. The police officers encountered the NPA, the armed wing of the communists, at the hinterland village of Bolo. After the IEDs exploded, NPA members shot at the police convoy, specifically targeting the vehicle loaded with the cops. The NPA’s Coronacion Chiva, in a statement, admitted hands in the attack.

EXTORTION
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Madrigal, Jr., head of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said they are stepping up efforts to prevent the NPA from continuing their extortion activities. “We need to stop these (extortion activities) because with these funds they generate they can produce more firearms,” he said during a forum in Davao City last week. Mr. Madrigal added that his command has also been in talks with the private sector on how to prevent the rebels from threatening them because some of these business establishments “do not know what to do and where to report” when rebels send them extortion letters. On the other hand, the Davao City-Local Peace Committee (DC–Peace) will continue to pursue possible negotiations with the NPA despite the formal termination of the peace talks with the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines (NDF-CPP). “The direction of the national government with regards the cancellation of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the CPP-NDF-NPA has no effect on DC-Peace,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in an interview at Marco Polo Hotel on Nov. 22. Ms. Carpio said the basis of the work of the committee is the general welfare clause under the Local Government Code. — The Freeman, Carmelito Q. Francisco and Carmencita A. Carillo

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