Cagayan gov, bishop urge rebels to stop attacks

TUGUEGARAO CITY—Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba and Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio Utleg have asked communist rebels to stop attacks that have delayed road projects in the region. In a joint statement issued recently, Mamba and Utleg cited the burning of equipment at two work sites in Cagayan and Quirino provinces in the past three weeks. They said the attacks had prompted the workers of five construction firms to leave the project sites. They also said stopping the attacks would be a “concrete manifestation” of the rebels’ sincerity in the ongoing peace talks. The New People’s Army has claimed responsibility for burning two backhoes, a compactor and a hauler truck at the depot of a construction firm in Alcala town, Cagayan, on March 27, and two other backhoes owned by another firm at a bridge construction site in Maddela town, Quirino.—VILLAMOR VISAYA JR.