By Priam Nepomuceno/ PNA
MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday said it has instructed all field units to extend support to police and local government units handling in securing vital infrastructure and installations against attacks by communist rebels.
This was bared by AFP public affairs office chief, Col. Noel Detoyato when asked what steps the military is undertaking following the latest New People’s Army (NPA) attack in Barangay Malvar, Naujan, Mindoro Oriental which destroyed and torched millions of pesos worth of equipment of the Santa Clara Hydro Power Plant on Monday.
“We have a standing order to field units to extend support to the LGU’s and the PNP (Philippine National Police) in securing vital installations and target hardening of soft targets that may have an impact if sabotaged by the insurgents,” he said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is listed as a terror organization by the United States and European Union.
The order is aside from the AFP’s mission of going after and neutralizing terrorist and armed groups threatening the Filipino way of life, Detoyato added.
“This task is in addition to the mission of going after the armed groups that threatens the way of life of the Filipinos in the countrysides,” he stressed.
