Reds own up to attack on FDA convoy in Camarines Sur

HIGHWAY ATTACK Policemen secure a section of the highway in Lupi town, Camarines Sur, after an ambush staged by suspected communist rebels. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BICOL PNP

NAGA CITY—The National Democratic Font (NDF) in Bicol admitted Friday that it is behind the attack on Food and Drug Administration Director Nela Charade Puno’s convoy at Lupi town in Camarines Sur province Thursday morning where three cops were killed and four others were wounded.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the NDF-Bicol said the attack carried out to express their disappointment over the delay in the resumption of peace talks with the administration.

“The successful attack was our way of calling out the Duterte administration for completely neglecting the peace talks and for the extrajudicial killings in his admin that has already claimed thousands of lives in the country,” the NDF-Bicol statement read.

The group, however, clarified that their target was the police escorts and not the FDA chief.

“The targets of the command detonated explosives were the armed elements on board the police patrol car and not the vehicle carrying FDA Dir. Nea Charade Puno,” it said.

According to the group, they have acquired tactical information from the Philippine National Police (PNP) itself.

“Romulo Jallores Command-NPA (New People’s Army) Bicol appreciates the PNP where the tactical information came from. Gen. (Oscar) Albayalde was right when he said there were lapses when it comes to intelligence in VIP (Very Important Person) escorting,” the statement said.

The NDF-Bicol then said the so-called “Red October” plot, which the administration was claiming, is not true.

“Instead of pushing the peace talks, the administration continues to spread wrong information. They have intended to spread the fake Red October ouster plot to condition the minds of the Filipinos and to gain grounds on declaring martial law in the country,” the statement said.

It also condemned the “attempts” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to execute “those who will be supporting” the rebel group. /kga