TUGUEGARAO CITY –– At least five heavily armed suspected New People’s Army rebels strafed the detachment of the Philippine Army-led Civilian Active Auxiliary of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit in the remote Barangay Balanni at Sto. Niño town in Cagayan province on Monday night.
Army Lt. Col. Jesus Pagala, 17th Infantry Battalion commanding officer, said the rebels opened fire at the detachment, which was being manned by the military and civilian volunteers.
“The detachment is still new so we had Army soldiers who were there to train the volunteers,” Pagala told the Inquirer.
The government soldiers, who managed to repel the attack, found M-16 Armalite rifle bullets at the detachment.
Pagala said no one from the government troops or civilian volunteers was wounded in the attack.
Prior to the attack, emissaries allegedly demanded volunteers to dismantle the detachment, claiming it was not necessary for the area. Villamor Visaya Jr.