Following attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) in both Panay and neighboring Negros, the Philippine Army 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) recently inspected a local coal plant for vulnerabilities.
“NPA bandits can target power plants like these for extortion activities,” said 3ID commander, Major General Jon Aying.
He added, the money they acquire would be used to procure arms and bomb components.
The 3ID official led the inspection of the 135-megawatt Panay Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) coal-fired power plant in Concepcion, Iloilo.
He noted, while northern Iloilo is not known to be a hotbed for Communist insurgency, the existence of a major power plant makes the area vulnerable to threats./WDJ