ASEAN forum in Albay cancelled

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – A series of meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Misibis Bay Resort on Cagraray island in Bacacay, Albay from Aug.11 to 26 have been cancelled for security reasons.

In a letter to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general for operations of the National Organizing Committee of ASEAN 2017, said the ASEAN security committee cited the presence of a number of extremist groups, including the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bicol, for cancelling the meetings.

 “Holding an ASEAN event at the Misibis Bay Resort… is too high-risk and unsafe,” Paynor’s letter read.

The meetings will instead be held in Manila.

Bacacay Mayor Noel Rosal said he would call a meeting of the regional peace and order council, which he chairs, to discuss the threat posed by communist insurgents.

Rosal led the lantern lighting rites and launch of the ASEAN 2017 Mobile Info Kiosk at the Legazpi city hall grounds last week as part of the preparations for theASEAN summit.

Two policemen were killed in an ambush by NPA rebels in Viga, Catanduanes on Aug. 10 while two soldiers died in an encounter in Gubat, Sorsogon on Aug. 8.

A police chief and a civilian were also killed while five others were wounded in attacks by NPA guerrillas in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental on July 21.