Army condemns NPA attack on power line in Mt. Province

FILE: Captain Jefferson Somera, 5ID Information Officer relayed Major General Paul Atal, 5ID commander’s statement saying the NPAs attacked the HEDCOR tapping point at Barangay Otucan Norte, Bauko, Mountain Province last October 10. (Photo By: Philippine Army, Public Domain)

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — The military’s 5th Infantry Division (5ID) covering the Cordillera region condemned on Thursday the continuing atrocities perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the region.

The most recent is the attack on a power transmission line supplying two provinces.

Captain Jefferson Somera, 5ID Information Officer relayed Major General Paul Atal, 5ID commander’s statement saying the NPAs attacked the HEDCOR tapping point at Barangay Otucan Norte, Bauko, Mountain Province last October 10.

This resulted in power outages in the province and nine municipalities of Benguet province.

Somera said the attack affected the economic activity in the affected areas.

“Just like in all atrocities they committed, the NPAs justified their criminal acts by concocting stories, blaming their victims of violating environmental laws and policies, when in fact their real purpose is to pressure the victims to pay their extortion demands,” he said.

Melma Batario, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) media relations officer for North Luzon in a telephone interview Thursday evening said the attack affected the transmission line serving Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO) which led to the 10-hours power shutdown.

Also affected was Benguet Electric Cooperative’s (BENECO) Atok and Bulalacao substations that resulted to the three-hour power shutdown.

The two Beneco substations serve nine of the 13 towns which include the municipalities of Atok, Buguias, Mankayan, Tublay, Kapangan, Bakun, Bokod, Kibungan, Kabayan including Cervantes Ilocos Sur.

Batario said the two electric distribution utilities and Hedcor were able to act on the problem and contained the effect to the said areas.

She added that no major damage was done on the transmission line and that NGCP has coordinated with the Armed Forces and other law enforcement units for a heightened alert on all their transmission lines.

In the morning of the same day, the NPA also attacked the unguarded heavy equipment of Delta Earthmoving Construction Company, setting ablaze one dump truck, a water truck and a backhoe that were being used in constructing the roads for the communities of Barangays San Pablo and Arwas, both of Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya province. (PNA)