More soldiers deployed in Albay airport construction site

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Army has deployed additional troops to the construction site of the international airport in Daraga, Albay following the recent attack by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels where heavy equipment worth millions of pesos were torched. 

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, Army spokesman, said an additional 100 soldiers would be deployed in Barangay Alobo in Daraga town to provide additional security to the ongoing airport construction. 

“Aside from conducting security operations, the soldiers, in coordination with the local government, will continue to implement various peace and development initiatives in nearby villages,” Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc said the additional soldiers from the Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Audrey Pasia would augment the existing government troops in the area in securing the international airport project and stopping the rebels from carrying out their extortion activities.

The NPA rebels swooped down on the airport site due to the reported refusal of the private contractor to give in to their demands.

The military described the attack as an act of banditry, saying the NPA has become the largest group of bandits in the country.

“They are masquerading themselves as fighting for freedom and for the rights of the people but their activities in the field appear otherwise. The people are fed up with the forcible collection of extortion money, which they proclaim as ‘revolutionary taxes,’” Cabunoc said.