Police unit captures NPA camp

A sub-unit of the CARAGA police has captured a New People's Army camp in Sitio Kawalian, Barangay Sta. Emelia, Veruela town, Agusan del Sur after a 25-minute firefight with the rebels Saturday afternoon.

Reports said the firefight between the operatives of the 133rd Regional Public Safety Company and the rebels took place around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.

The police unit was conducting a routine security patrol in the area when they chanced upon members of the Guerrilla Front 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

A gunbattle erupted between  the two forces and ended with the rebels retreating.

No casualties were reported on the government side.

Recovered from the camp were food supplies, documents, uniforms and medicine kits.

Meanwhile, senatorial bet Grace Poe said the continuing conflict between the rebels and government forces could affect the May 2013 polls.

Poe said there is a need to get the  Communist Party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front, New People’s Army (CPP-NDF-NPA)  back on the negotiation table the soonest possible time.

The resumption of the dialogue failed to materialize due to some contentious issues yet to be resolved.

Poe underscored that the threat of an armed conflict with communist insurgents continues to overshadow the campaign as it approaches the halfway mark.

She said that rather than focusing on maintaining peace and order until election day, police and military forces have to channel men and logistics to guarding “soft targets” as a long-term ceasefire remains elusive.

Last February 19, the NPA launched a series of attacks on two pineapple plantations in Bukidnon and a police detachment in Misamis Oriental even as rumors of the rebel group’s extortion of “permit to campaign” fees from some political candidates persist particularly in far-flung provinces.