Phillipines: Guerrilla Front 53-NPA launches two successive military

Herminio Alfonso Command-Front 53 Operations Command
NPA-Southern Mindanao
August 18, 2009

The Herminio Alfonso Command-Front 53 Operations Command of the New
People's Army-Southern Mindanao successfully launched a tactical
offensive in Kitaotao, Bukidnon, August 17. Red fighters ambushed the
troops belonging to the Philippine National Police and the 29th Infantry
Battalion-AFP using command detonated explosives, along the national
highway in Barangay Kipolot.

Earlier, at 9:30 am, Red guerrillas enforced police action and
confiscated the high-powered firearms, including an Uzi machine pistol,
at the Nieves family's Travellers Inn and Restaurant, These firearms
were being used by the Nieves family to threaten and terrorize peasant
civilians in the area.

The Guerrilla Front 53-NPA Command strongly belies the press statement
of the 10th Infantry Division Commanding General Reynaldo Mapagu that
the Red fighters took P22,270 in cash from the Nieves establishment. NPA
units strictly adhere to a policy of confiscating only the firearms and
other military equipment used in counter-revolutiona ry and anti-people
activities of reactionaries. The NPA does not touch the cash and other
personal items of persons and establishments subjected to NPA police
actions.