Arrest of 4 suspected rebels led Army to CPP plenum venue in Surigao

CPP in Mindanao aborts plenum in Surigao town amid heavy presence of soldiers, policemen

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — The arrest of two communist rebels and two other supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines led the Army to suspect that something big was going to happen in Bacuag town, Surigao del Norte by today, Monday, December 30, 2019.

On Saturday, police arrested two suspected CPP supporters, both motorcycle drivers carrying 18 packs of black fatigue pants, 37 packs of poncho tents, and 1,000 bottles of soda.

Colonel Maurito Licudine, commander of the Philippine Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade, said they also arrested two communist rebels with pending arrest warrants near Bacuag town on Sunday.

“This lead us to suspect the rebels are planning something big near Bacuag town,” Licudine in an interview on Sunday night.

Under intense questioning by the police, the drivers told investigators they were instructed to deliver the supplies to the communist rebels waiting in Sitio Bay-ang, Barangay Lahi, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, revealed Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 director General Joselito Esquivel Jr. in a separate interview.

“We also monitored the coming and going of known rebels in Barangay Lahi,” Licudine said.

Licudine said he immediately dispatched soldiers to take up positions in Barangay Lahi. He also deployed four 105mm howitzers ready to assault the rebel positions.

However, he said, they decided to hold back any offensive action because it could derail ongoing peace negotiations.

“What held us was our concern that the communist rebels will withdraw from the negotiating table,” Licudine said.

The rebels, who had planned the plenum amid an existing holiday ceasefire, have monitored the build-up of soldiers in Gicaguit town in Surigao del Norte.

Key leaders of the CPP in Mindanao, along with its military arm, the New People’s Army, were planning to hold a plenum and mass wedding of its supporters in Barangay Lahi this Monday.  They have invited a number of journalists in Mindanao to cover the plenum.

At about 7 p.m. on Sunday, however, Ka Oto, spokesperson of NPA Front 16, informed reporters invited to cover the plenum that they could no longer proceed since Army soldiers have swarmed the town.

The reporters had by then left the hotel they were staying in Butuan City and were en route to nearby Bacuag town where the rebels said they would be holding the plenum and mass wedding.

Ka Oto advised reporters who were about to cover the event not to proceed and turn back.

“Its no longer safe for you to come here,” Ka Oto said in a message to reporters gathered outside of the town./elb