BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Provincial Police Director Senior Supt. Leumar U. Abugan on Sunday dismissed a widely circulated text message claiming 500 to 600 New People’s Army armed fighters “merged in Nueva Vizcaya coming from Visayas and Mindanao.”
“Hindi totoo yan. Me NPA pero di ganyan karami [That’s not true. There are NPAs but not that many],” Abugan replied after he was asked to clarify the text message claiming to have originated from “Chief of Police [Chief Inspector Alexander] Balut of Dupax del Norte Police Station.”
The text message advised people to shut their windows and stay indoors after 8 in the evening. LGU officials, however, appealed for calm as the situation in Nueva Vizcaya is now normal.
After learning of the skirmish between the NPA and the military in Kasibu, overseas Filipino workers who heard of the news were jittery for their relatives and friends in the area, following reports some families left their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire. They in turn started texting and sharing news in social media.