Two people, including a policeman, were abducted and a tribal leader was killed during the series of attacks by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the province of Bukidnon on Thursday morning.

Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, 4th Infantry Division spokesman, said based on police report the NPAs are on two dump trucks and one L-300 van when they raided the house of a tribal leader named Lito Siagan Atoy at the vicinity of Brgy. Tikalaan, Talakag around 5 am.

He said Atoy was later killed after he refused to be recruited to the rebel group .

“According to the report, some of the NPA are wearing camouflage uniform with NBI caps and introduced themselves as NBI agents when they took Mr Atoy with them going to Km28 of the said Barangay,” Martinez said.

“The incident happened hours after the NPA carted away two dump trucks owned by Mindanao Rock Corporation,” he added.

Martinez said other NPA members conducting blocking operation along the highway of that barangay abducted two men around 6 am

“They (NPA) were able to flag down and kidnap one PNP personnel in the person of PO2 Anthony Natividad assigned with the Kalilangan Municipal Police Station and another unidentified person,” he said.

“It said the NPAs took away five motorcycles from the commuters,” he added

Martinez said the rebels burned down the equipment used to build roads in the area at around 7 am.

“The NPA burned down the two dump trucks, one generator set, and another two heavy equipment, one mixer and one backhoe, that are also owned by Mindanao Rock Corp,” he said.

“Hours later, they (NPA) decided to kill Mr Atoy at the same location and after which they withdrew towards the direction of Lanao del Sur area bringing along with them their two captives,” he added.

Martinez said Col. Eric Vinoya, 403rd Infantry Brigade Commander immediately directed the 1st Special Forces Battalion to have close coordination with the PNP and pursue the perpetrators. Robina Asido/DMS