Police in 28 Reg. 8 towns on alert vs reb attacks

TACLOBAN CITY — Regional police intelligence agents have identified at least 28 municipal police stations in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) as possible targets of attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) on or before Dec. 26, the founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

"We will not take this information for granted because of past experiences," said Superintendent Carlos Lozano, regional intelligence and investigation chief.

Based on intelligence reports, the police stations in the following municipalities face NPA threats:

Northern Samar: Gamay, Mapanas, Silvino Lobos, Lapinig, Las Navas, Palapag, Lope Vega, Lavesarez, San Isidro and San Jose.

Samar: San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Paranas, Hinabanan and Calbiga.

Eastern Samar: Arteche, Maslog, Jipapad, Dolores and Oras.

Southern Leyte: Silago, Pintuyan, Tomas Uppos, St. Bernard, Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo and Hinunangan.

Lozano said the police chiefs of these towns have been told to place their units on 24-hour alert until Jan. 15 to repel possible NPA attacks.

In a memorandum, police stations were directed to "intensify intelligence-gathering efforts and initiate extraordinary precautionary measures." — With Ricky Bautista