A company from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Mobile Group (RMG) was recently deployed in Barangay Bumitog, Banna, Ilocos Norte as a means for the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) to safeguard the province’s second district towns against probable dissidents.

In effect, a detachment had been established in the said area, named the Bumitog Community Police Action Center.

According to Senior Superintendent Juan G. Luna, INPPO director, the detachment was established to secure the eastern towns of Ilocos Norte after the provincial PNP office received reports of New People’s Army (NPA) sightings in the remote Barangay Nagbatayan in Banna, Ilocos Norte.

Luna said the sightings were confirmed as they also received intelligence reports that the rebel group may be eyeing possible recruits in the towns of Badoc, Batac, Pinili, Nueva Era and Banna.

With this move, Luna mentioned that the INPPO has upgraded its alert status as they have intensified their campaign against the communist rebels.

The 50-member RMG team is expected to stay in the Banna detachment until the NPA threat is deemed negligible.

Leilanie G. Adriano