BAUKO, Mountain Province– About 10 heavily armed alleged members of the New People’s Army entered the premises of the HEDCOR tapping point located at Sitio Lukong, Otucan Norte, Bauko, Mountain Province at about 10:00 pm October 10, 2017 then planted improvised explosive devices which they detonated causing total destruction of the facilities in the premises.
Two 9mm Armscor pistols with serial numbers 1066412 and 1066417, three handheld radios and two cellphone batteries of the guards were carted away.
Joint Investigation conducted by the Bauko Municipal Police led by chief of police, PSI Luis Dangatan, SOCO-Mountain Province, PIDMB, PIB,CIDG-Mountain Province, RIO 14, and Sabangan MPS disclosed that prior to the incident, two security guards, Jenaro Buansi and Jerrol Coneng, were on duty inside the guard house when the suspects appeared so they locked the main gate.
The team leader of the suspects verbally ordered the security guards to open the main gate who complied upon noticing that the suspects were fully armed with M16 rifle, M14 rifle, Garand rifles and their firearms were pointed at them. They introduced themselves as members of the NPA.
Further, the suspects allegedly interviewed the two security guards inside the guard house and took their photos.
The security guards said that the suspects explained that the Hedcor and Aboitiz management were allegedly monopolizing and did not follow the proper process in obtaining the supposed Free and Prior Informed Consent of the affected people.
While the two guards were being interviewed, some of the suspects went inside the Hedcor/NGCP-control room and after installing an IED, they forcibly opened the perimeter gate of the tapping point using a bolt cutter and planted another IED.
After installing the IEDs, the suspects commanded the security guards to follow them and walked towards the river. While crossing the river, a loud explosion was heard.
Upon reaching a vegetable garden just above the river, the suspects released the two security guards to go back to their post while the suspects walked and ascended towards Sitio Madepdeppas, Data, Sabangan, Mountain Province. The estimated cost of damage is still undetermined.
It will be recalled that that same incident was perpetrated by NPA members in Nueva Vizcaya a few days ago alerting all its municipal police stations to conduct checkpoints and border control. Thus, it was established that the NPA team used the mountain trail to go in and out of the site.
Police Senior Supt. Tellio Ngis-o, PNP provincial director of Mountain Province said in an interview that PNP personnel were immediately deployed in the area to avoid further damage to the facility. He said that what the NPA did was a terroristic act, it is against the people.
The bombing of the facility caused a black out in the whole province.
“This is a terroristic act, it is against the people because you see the effect. It is an attack against the people. They did this, I think for extortion purposes.”
“Being a Filipino, they are not our enemies but what they are doing is our enemies because it is anti-peace. We really condemned it, it is really a terroristic act against the people.” Ngis-o added
The people of Mountain Province and some parts of Benguet suffered without electricity for almost eleven hours (10:45pm Oct.10 to 9:20 am Oct.11).
Hospitals, offices, businesses and schools were affected by the power outage. Residents of the capital town were deprived of their favorite morning bread ‘pandesal’ since bakeries were shut down.
Kindergarten pupils of Saint Vincent’s Elementary School of Poblacion, Bontoc held their classes outside. The other grades still went on with their classes unmindful of their dark classrooms until power was restored at 9:20 am.
Hedcor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Aboitiz Power Corporation which specializes in generating renewable energy from run-of-river hydropower operations. **Ferdie Cariño Castañeda
