Six Samar power plants targeted for attacks

PALO, Leyte — Police and military authorities have doubled security for six power plants in Samar amid intelligence reports that the New People’s Army (NPA) is targeting them for attacks.

The rebels’ possible targets, according to intelligence reports reaching the Eastern Visayas police headquarters here, are the following:

• The power plants of Samar Electric Cooperative I and II in Barangay Carayman, Calbayog City and Barangay 6, Paranas town, respectively;

• The MEI hydro-power plant in Barangay Barral, Calbayog City;

• The Samelco substation plant in Barangay Lonoy, also in Calbayog; and the

• National Power Corp. substations in Barangay Buray, Paranas and Barangay Libas, Sta. Rita town.

Chief Superintendent Nardito Yoro, regional police director, has instructed two units of Samar’s Provincial Mobile Group to coordinate with the military in securing vital power lines.

An emergency task force, Yoro said, has been dispatched to Samar to augment local forces. Surveillance and intelligence-gathering have also been beefed up, he added.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Conrado Calvario, Samar police director, has directed the 810th Provincial Mobile Group to augment the police force in Calbiga, Samar where, according to intelligence reports, NPA guerrillas were recently sighted.