[SunStar] A Philippine army official said on Friday that Ryan Pitao, son of the recently slain New People's Army leader Leoncio Pitao, alias Kumander Parago, was behind a recent attack on Apex Mining Company in Compostela Valley province last July 26.Military spokesman Alex Cabales said that the Maco Philippine National Police (PNP) identified Ryan Pitao during the attack. He said, "Ryan (Pitao) orchestrated the attack in the mining company. The local PNP will file charges against him but the final details are not yet available."
Cabales said, "Prior to the incident, our intelligence group received a report on the presence of Ryan Pitao and their target which is the mining company. Although we were notified of their operation, our military units failed to cover the whole area of the mining company because it's so wide."
Cabales said the younger Pitao's involvement in the recent attacks was intended to build credibility after his father death in an encounter with the Task Force Minion last June 28 in Paquibato District.
Cabales said Ryan is believed to be under the Pulang Bagani Command-3 operating in Pantukan, Maco, and Mabini. He said, "I think the deployment of Ryan was ordered by the Sub-Regional Committee 2. But the public should not worry as pursuit operations have been intensified against the NPA rebels."
An improvised explosive device that exploded in the same province was also carried out by the same NPA militants.