Baguio City (9 October) -- Northern Luzon Command Chief Lieutenant General Bonifacio Ramos scored at a communist terrorist leader in Mountain Province who arrogantly boasted in a radio interview that NPA rebels joined government troops in the rescue of victims of a vehicular in Barangay Tonglayan Natonin, Mountain Province last September 21.

In an interview aired live over Radio Natin in Bontoc last September 25, NPA leader Simon Naogsan aka 'Filiw' accused soldiers of not wanting to get involved in disaster operations allegedly out of fear of the rebels.

The truth, according to Lt. Gen Ramos, is Naogsan and his men are not out to help victims of calamities but to liquidate residents of Bontoc and nearby areas who helped or joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and CAFGU as earlier uncovered by the authorities.

In a survey conducted by Naogsan's men, he apparently found out that Bontoc, particularly one of its villages, has the most number of residents enlisted into the military, police and CAFGU units. These targets were forewarned by their respective commanders to be doubly vigilant as early as last month when the plan was tipped off by a Deep Penetration Agent (DPA).

Ramos said soldiers have long risked their lives in the conduct of disaster, relief and rescue operations and even community projects. He cited an incident this year wherein Army Engineers and other soldiers constructing the San Juan - Tineg Road in Barangay Cagayanan, Tineg, Abra were fired upon by NPA rebels.

Prior to the incident, three non-combatant soldiers involved in the infrastructure projects were ambushed by armed men in Balbalan, Kalinga. The NPA carted away P45,000 cash intended for the water works system and pathway project in the Barangay Poswoy as well as cell phones, cash and other personal valuables of the victims.