GUNMEN believed to be New People’s Army (NPA) rebels fired at Army troops who were escorting the relief mission of a television network in San Francisco, Surigao del Norte, on Tuesday night.
Capt. Jose Patrick Martinez, spokesman for the Army’s Fourth Infantry “Diamond” Division, said the rebels fired five shots at the soldiers aboard a military truck in Sitio Huwat Baboy, Barangay Linongganan, at around 8:30 p.m.
Martinez said the truck led the five-vehicle convoy.
“The rebels fired from 75 meters on a high ground and the KM450 [light truck] blast protection plate was hit by two bullets,” he said.
Martinez said nobody was hurt among the soldiers and the television network’s crew.
Earlier, the NPA in Surigao del Norte declared a unilateral cease-fire in in the wake of the 6.7-magnitude earthquake on February 10 that hit the province and caused damage to thousands of houses and other infrastructures.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) announced it is constantly flying relief goods to the eathquake affected areas using Air Force Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo planes.
NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo B. Jalad said supplies that were meant to augment existing Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stocks in the Caraga region have been sent.
These include 10 generator sets, 150 pieces of solar lamps, 30,000 pieces of high-energy biscuits, 5,000 pieces of mosquito nets, 500 dignity kits, 5,000 blankets, 3,250 pieces of brown rice bar, 130 rolls of laminated sacks and 5,000 plastic multipurpose containers.
Jalad said these items were airlifted to Butuan City’s Bancasi Airport on February 12 and 13 by C-130s from the Air Force’s 220th Airlift Wing.
On Tuesday Air Force C-130s also transported DSWD and Department of Health personnel to Butuan City for deployment in earth quake-affected areas.
Aside from the health personnel, thousands of Campolas (cotrimoxazole, amoxicillin, mefenemic acid, paracetamol, oral rehydration solutions, lagundi, vitamin A and skin ointment), family and hygiene kits; family tents, mobile kitchens and additional laminated sacks, high-energy biscuits and plastic mats were airlifted on the same day.