TUGUEGARAO CITY, PHILIPPINES- The New People’s Army admitted to staging the attack on a police sub-station in Amulung town in Cagayan late Thursday afternoon, May 4.
In a statement released by a certain Fernan Cagayan, media liaison officer of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Cagayan, the NPA said the Henry Abraham Command operating in the western part of Cagayan launched a “successful” attack at the sub-station of Philippine National Police (PNP)-Amulung in Barangay Annafatan around 5 pm on Thursday.
“The successful raid happened as the PNP illegally arrested David Soriano, whom they are wrongfully alleging as the “regional number one cadre” of Cagayan Valley,” the statement said. (READ:Top NPA commander nabbed in Penablanca, Cagayan)
Police Chief Superintendent Eliseo Rasco, regional director of PNP-Cagayan Valley, said Soriano, the “highest ranking official” of the communist guerrilla in the region, was cornered in Barangay Camasi in Penablanca town around 5:45 pm on Thursday by the Cagayan Valley police and the 5th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The NPA alleged that Soriano and his “driver-driver,” a certain Jude Cipriano, was “wrongfully” and “unduly” arrested by joint forces of the police and military.
The statement also said that the police “downplayed” the success of the raid by branding the attack as “mere diversionary tactic.” They added that Rasco lied when he claimed that the local police of Amulung were “tortured.”
Meanwhile, Randy Felix Malayao, an NDF consultant from North Luzon, condemned the authorities for their “refusal to allow the lawyer and family to confer with the detained persons which is a continuing violation of their right to due process.”
“David Soriano is a respected leader and well-loved by the masses he unconditionally served,” Malayao said.
