NPA owns up to raid of Davao Occidental town mayor’s house

DIGOS CITY, Philippines—Communist rebels on Monday admitted that 16 of their guerrillas raided the house of Jose Abad Santos Mayor James Joyce in Davao Occidental and took away firearms.

In a statement e-mailed to the media, Efren Aksasato of the National Democratic Front Far South Mindanao Command said the New People’s Army had targeted Joyce because he was known to be a warlord.

The police said the NPA has confiscated 16 homemade shotguns from Joyce’s bodyguards during the raid that took place in his house.

Joyce could not be reached for comment on the communist rebels’ allegations.

Aksasato also accused Joyce of being “counter-revolutionary,” who faces criminal charges before the “people’s court.”