The New People’s Army (NPA) attacked soldiers of the 24th IB in Mount Basiwag, Barangay Gacab, Malibcong, Abra province last October 27. Two troopers of the 24th IB were killed while another was wounded.

According to the people’s army, the ambush aims to punish the said unit for its fascist attacks and suppression of the people’s opposition to widespread mining operations in Abra and Apayao. The soldiers serve as guards securing the operations of large mining companies.

Extensive mining operations will encompass the ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples in the towns of Malibcong, Lacub, Tineg, Licuan-Baay, and the borders of Abra in Apayao and Kalinga. It includes some parts of the Gran Cordillera Mountain Range.

Accompanying planned mining operations are the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the police’s focused military operations with the aim of suppressing and breaking the unity of the indigenous people against destructive mining.

“The people will get nothing from large-scale mining and militarization other than intensified grabbing of their ancestral land, extreme poverty, dislocations, disasters and human rights violations,” according to the NPA-Abra spokesperson Ka Florencio Baluga.

Aside from the armed action last October 27, the NPA also reported mounting tactical offensives on June 30, July 9 and August 18 in Abra and Apayao. Five fascist mercenaries were killed in these armed actions.

“These NPA offensives serves to bring the message across that the people’s army and the democratic classes are ready to fight the security forces of large-scale mining, hydropower dams, and geothermal companies,” said Ka Florencio.