Basilan power barge disabled following attack

MANILA, Philippines - Unidentified gunmen attacked last night a power barge in Basilan, rendering the island province without electricity for several hours.

While the power barge being operated by the National Power Corporation (Napocor) sustained only minor damage, it has to be shut down during the attack that occurred at about 10 p.m. Power in the entire province was only restored at 9 a.m. today.

Located at Taboc strait, 20 meters from the shorelines of Isabela City, security guards repulsed the attack staged by armed men numbering to around eight persons and aboard two boats, according to Col. Carlito Galvez, commander of the 104th Brigade base in the province.

“Our security personnel were able to retaliate,” Galvez said, adding that a team of Army Special Forces (SF) whose outpost is the area, also responded and pursued the attackers who fired their assault rifles at the power barge.

As to the motive behind the attack, Galvez said that it could be extortion but he did not mention the group behind the illegal act.

He also said shutting off the power barge was a precautionary measure, saying that electricity has already been restored.