5 villages in Surigao Norte town under state of calamity over hostilities

Five villages in the municipality of Claver in Surigao del Norte were placed under the state of calamity, as hostilities between government forces and communist insurgents raged on for a fifth day.

GMA’s Flash Report quoted Claver Mayor Eddie Go as saying that fighting between military and police troops and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have continued unabated in the last five days.

The report said according to Chief Superintendent Jaime Milla, Caraga police regional director, NPA rebels attacked Dapa and General Luna towns on Siargao Island over the weekend and even held hostage several people in the island, including some foreigners.

The NPA members even raised the flag of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for two days, the report said.

On Monday, Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner, Army spokesman, said the attack was staged by 50 NPA rebels who raided the police stations and burned a cellular phone transmission in Dapa and General Luna towns late Saturday.

The television report said that when government troops arrived to the island, the NPA rebels were forced to cross to Claver town where the firefight continued.

Brawner said at least 15 suspected NPA members were killed while 12 others were captured in clashes on Siargao Island.

For his part, Eastern Mindanao regional military spokesman Maj. Armand Rico said two policemen were killed and four others were wounded in the hostilities.

Surigao del Norte, a province of nearly 500,000 people, is about 430 miles southeast of Manila. - (GMANews.TV)