NPA attack on mine sites spurs PNP, AFP action

TOP security officials led by Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome yesterday assured the mining industry of continued government protection in the wake of the New People’s Army attack on three mine sites in Surigao del Norte last Monday.

“President Aquino wants the incident in Mindanao to be addressed effectively and I and Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Oban have agreed to strengthen the threat assessment, the security assessment to determine the real situation on the ground,” Bartolome told the general assembly of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines headed by Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez yesterday at the Hotel Intercon in Makati City.

Also present during the meeting were Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje.

According to Bartolome, after a five-hour meeting at the presidential situation room in Malacañan Palace last Monday, President Aquino sent him and General Oban a text message to underscore his commitment to avoid a repetition of the attacks in Surigao del Norte.

“I am sure both of you are aware of the correct measures that should be taken and this should be taken immediately,” he quoted the President as telling him in his text message.

Immediately after, Bartolome relieved from their respective posts Surigao del Norte PPO director, Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Talento, Claver Municipal Police Station commander, Senior Inspector Diomedes Cuadra and the company commander of the Surigao del Norte Provincial Public Safety Company, Supt. Rudy Cuyop.

“I want to determine how and why those officers were not able to detect such large formation of NPA rebels,” Bartolome said. He also ordered the three officials to explain why they were not able to immediately react when the rebels were already withdrawing from the raided mining sites.

Yesterday, General Oban also relieved the Army brigade and battalion commanders in the province in the aftermath of the NPA attacks.

Oban said Colonel Rodrigo Diapana and his deputy, Col. Cresente Maligmat would be investigated for negligence.