New People’s Army (NPA) spokesperson Ka Maria Malaya admitted in a press statement issued on Wednesday that an armed squad of the NPA’s Front Committee 21 was responsible for the random firing of M-16 Armalite rifles at local candidates of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) led by re-electionist Vice Mayor Angelo Calo and their supporters.
Twenty empty shells and several live ammunition from M-16 Armalite rifles were found by police investigators some 15 meters away from the site where Calo and other re-electionist city councilors were conducting barangay consultations in the hinterland of Sitio Acacia, Barangay Antongalon.
Malaya, NPA spokesperson for the Caraga Region, confirmed earlier suspicions that the harassment came after the candidates failed to seek permission to campaign in the area.
The NPA is allegedly asking P1 million from each congressional candidate, P500,000 from mayoral bets and several thousands of pesos from those seeking to be elected as city councilors.
Malaya cited the early campaigning of the local Lakas bets for the May 10 national elections that triggered the 20-man communist squad to fire warning shots at them.
But Calo and former mayor Democrito Plaza, who is the husband of incumbent Butuan City Mayor Leonides Theresa Plaza, claimed they were just conducting routinary barangay consultations in the area at the time of the harassment.
March 25 is the start of the official campaign period for local candidates. National bets began their campaign on Feb. 10.