COMMUNIST-led New People’s Army fighters set up a checkpoint along a vital highway and went on to ransack a house of a municipal candidate for councilor in Cortes town, Surigao del Sur this morning.
Brigadier Gen. George Banzon, commander of the 901st Infantry Brigade said around 20 rebels set up a checkpoint in Sitio Lubcon, Barangay Mabahin, Cortes town at about 7 am early Thursday.
Banzon said the rebels stayed for about 20 minutes and left but not before flagging a truck and ransacking a house and store owned by Joven Rivera, a PDP-Laban candidate for the Cortes municipal council.
He said the rebels seized a caliber .45 pistol from Rivera who is a former Army lieutenant.
“The NPA rebels just wanted to make their presence be felt among the residents and send a message to candidates reminding them that they have to pay in order to campaign,” Banzon said.
The National Democratic Front has always warned candidates to set aside funds for the NPA if they wish to campaign in rebel-held territories in the country.
Residents in Cortes town reported on social media that the number of rebels who staged the checkpoint reached 100.
Major Francisco Garello, spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Division said this information is inaccurate.
Garello said the rebels fled after soldiers from the 36th infantry Battalion arrived in Lubcon.
