NPA wrecks mining laboratory, tailings dam in Benguet – police

BENGUET, Philippines – The police admitted Friday, June 9, that New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were responsible for the destruction of a mining laboratory owned by a Chinese investor and the tailings dam of the Lepanto Mining Corporation in Mankayan, Benguet late Wednesday evening. 

The Cordillera Philippine National Police said the Chadli Molintas Command based in Benguet also engaged the 54th Infantry Battalion of the 5th Infantry Division in a brief firefight, wounding one soldier and a civilian. 

The police said they made their investigation at 4:00 am of Thursday. They added the floating copper processor located in Sitio Cabatuan in Colalo village and owned by Chinese investor Xian Jinrui Lianliungang was destroyed by the NPA using explosives. 

Also destroyed were the newly-built police outpost and a backhoe owned by Colalo Chairman Ambino Padawi. 

The police also interviewed the Chief Security of Lepanto Mining Division and they learned that the lime mixing plant and a Bulldozer owned by Flores Construction were also destroyed through explosives. Two unexploded bombs were left below a bulldozer and backhoe.

The police recorded the testimonies of two security guards posted at Dam 5 Gate and Quarry Area that the guerrillas, composed of 6 males and a female, approached them and took their hand-held radio with charger, hunting knife and pistol holder. They then tied their hands with a packing tape. They then proceeded to bomb the backhoe and plant. 

The NPA guerrillas also engaged 6 members of the Philippine Army deployed at Dam 5.

Private First Class (PFC) Arthur Bag-ay, 38, was injured by shrapnel on the nape, while Jerson Guisguiswoang Awini, a Mankayan resident, was hit by a stray bullet on the right thigh. Awini was brought to the Luis Hora Hospital in Abatan, Bauko, Mt. Province and is now in stable condition. – Rappler.com

The police admitted only today that the NPA guerrillas were responsible for the destruction of a mining laboratory owned by a Chinese investor and the tailings dam of the Lepanto Mining Corporation in Mankayan, Benguet in the late evening of Wednesday. The Cordillera Philippine National Police said that the Chadli Molintas Command based in Benguet also engaged the 54th Infantry Battalion of the 5th ID in a brief firefight, wounding one soldier and a civilian. The police said that they made their investigation at 4 AM of Thursday and said that floating copper processor located in Sitio Cabatuan in Colalo village and owned by Chinese investor Xian Jinrui Lianliungang was destroyed by the NPA using explosives. Also destroyed were the newly-built police outpost and a backhoe owned by Colalo Chairman Ambino Padawi. The police also interviewed the Chief Security of Lepanto Mining Division and they learned that the Lime Mixing Plant and a Bulldozer owned by Flores Construction were destroyed through explosives. Two unexploded bombs were left below a bulldozer and backhoe but these were unexploded. The police recorded the testimonies of two security guards posted at Dam 5 Gate and Quarry Area that the guerrillas, composed of six males and one female, approached them and took their hand-held radio with charger, hunting knife and pistol holder. They then tied their hands with a packing tape. They then proceeded to bomb the backhoe and plant. The NPA guerrillas also engaged six members of the Philippine Army deployed at the Dam 5. PFC Arthur Bag-ay, 38, was injured by a shrapnel on the nape while Jerson Guisguiswoang Awini, a Mankayan resident, was hit by a stray bullet on the right thigh. Awini was brought to the Luis Hora Hospital in Abatan, Bauko, Mt. Province and is now in stable condition.