Maria Malaya, spokesperson of the National Democratic Front-Northeastern Mindanao Region, in an emailed statement said the three simultaneous attacks last July 15 in the towns of Prosperidad and San Francisco were attempts to dismantle private armed groups as “requested” by the people in the communities. The National Democratic Front is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, while the NPA is the party’s army.
Malaya said the targets of their operations were Calpit Egua’s group in Sta. Irene, Prosperidad, another Egua group in Sitio Inagawan, La Purisima in the same town, and a bandit group in Barangay Bitan-agan, in San Francisco town.
Malaya appealed to the concerned government agencies attending to the embalming of the dead rebels to give the NPA time to contact their families.
“We are ready to pay for the expenses at the funeral homes. We will be grateful if you (government) will consider our request,” Malaya said.
Malaya also asked for the forgiveness of the family of the driver killed in the operations
Malaya said Egua’s group was created through the help of the military, police and the local government unit to act as a warlord and monopolize the mining and logging industry in the area.
According to Malaya, Egua’s group is composed of more than 60 heavily armed men and they are involved in massacres, assassinations, executions and other criminal activities in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.
Four of Egua’s tribal warriors were killed in the attack.