Lorenzana: Military caught off guard by NPA attack in Agusan del Sur

The military was caught off guard by the New People's Army attack on a patrol base in Agusan del Sur on Wednesday dawn which resulted in the kidnapping of 14 people, including two soldiers, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday.

Lorenzana was referring to the abduction of two soldiers and 12 members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) in a Cafgu detachment under the 3rd Special Forces Battalion and the seizure of 24 high powered firearms in Agusan del Sur.

“Maraming factors 'yan eh. We are still investigating. Na-hostage sila lahat ng walang firefight kaya lumalabas na nabigla sila. Siguro, nagrelax 'yung sundalo sa detachment. We expect the patrol base to be manned and properly constructed so it can't be overrun. Tinitignan namin anggulo, baka may nakapasok diyan na 'di nila alam. Nagpanggap na kaibigan...after that, na overpower na sila,” Lorenzana told reporters.

Lorenzana added the military is also looking at the possible involvement of a CAFGU member being relatives with an NPA member, a link that could have been used by the communist rebels to penetrate the patrol base and take hostages in the process.

“Baka itong Cafgu na may kamag-anak na NPA ang naging conduit para makapasok sila, para hindi mapagsuspetsahan,” Lorenzana added.

Lorenzana then assured the public that the soldiers will relentlessly work on the release of the hostages.

“Meron tayong pursuit operations. This will also be in coordination with our local officials, commanders and OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process),” he said.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) which owned up to the abduction.

The CPP reiterated the 14 “prisoners of war” would be released if the military stops its offensives against the rebels over the Christmas season.

“The 14 prisoners of war taken yesterday in Barangay New Tubigon, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur are being treated leniently," the CPP said in a statement.

The CPP even lauded the NPA for their work on Agusan del Sur, saying that such abduction is a successful tactical offensives in answer to continued implementation of martial law in Mindanao.

“The CPP applauds the successful tactical offensives mounted by the NPA in Agusan del Sur and Samar over the past two days. The NPA tactical offensives are resounding blows against the Duterte regime's martial law rule in Mindanao and across the country,” the CPP said in a statement.

“The tactical offensives of the NPA displays the superiority of the NPA in terms of support of the people and mastery in guerrilla warfare. It also manifests demoralization among the AFP and paramilitary forces who are being used as canon fodder in defense of a rotten system and corruption of their superiors,” he added.

The CPP also called on “enemy foot soldiers” to surrender to the NPA and for third party facilitators to coordinate and cooperate with the local NPA command.

Lorenzana, however, maintained that the NPA cannot use the hostages to make the military back off from launching any offensive against the communist rebels.

“We will not stop [our offensive]. The soldiers and the Cafgu know that we are at war with these people. Kung ma-hostage sila, that's part of the job,” Lorenzana said.

The CPP Central Committee has declared a unilateral ceasefire from 12:01 a.m. of December 24, 2018 to 11:59 p.m. of December 26, 2018, and 12:01 a.m. of December 31 to 11:59 p.m. of January 1, 2019.

The NPA, however, remains on attack mode outside of the unilateral ceasefire period.

“The CPP calls on the NPA to mount more tactical offensives in the next few weeks and months to defeat Duterte's all-out war and fascist attacks against the people's democratic rights and livelihood,” the CPP added.

The military did not declare a unilateral ceasefire this year, arguing that such ceasefire time would only be used by the the communists to strengthen its forces. — RSJ, GMA News