Civilian killed in NPA ambush in Albay

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 3): Civilian killed in NPA ambush in Albay

After declaring an end to a Christmas truce at noon on Wednesday, New People’s Army (NPA) rebels ambushed and killed the wife of a militiaman in Barangay Oma-oma, a remote village in Ligao City, a Philippine Army (PA) official said Thursday. Lt. Col. Audrey Pasia, commanding officer of the Army's 2nd Infantry Battalion based in Ligao City, said militiaman Arnel Yuson was traveling on board a motorcycle with his wife when they were blocked by at least three heavily-armed NPA rebels along the road in Barangay Oma-oma in Ligao City at around 7:30 p.m., Wednesday.

Yuson was able to escape unhurt but his wife died during the ambush, forcing him to leave her behind, Pasia said. He said Yuson and his two other brothers had long been wanted by the NPA for their successful operations against the rebel group. Yuson was credited for the arrest of ranking NPA leader leader Iglecirio Pernia a.k.a. Ka Choy, while his two brothers are also serving as militiamen involved in combat operations against the NPA rebels in Albay.

Pasia said Ka Choy was released from a provincial jail here as part of the government's peace deal with the communist rebels. Intelligence sources said Ka Choy had rejoined the armed rebels and resumed his atrocities against the military and civilians.

Pasia said the NPA had used its own ceasefire declaration to take undue advantage and commit atrocities against the soldiers. Soldiers and militiamen were allowed to go home to spend time with their family during the mutually agreed truce which ends on January 15. “This treacherous attack is a clear indication of their insincerity in pushing through a lasting peace and a gross violation of human rights," Pasia said.

He said killing of unarmed military personnel and their family members who are non-combatants is against the laws of armed conflict and the rule of law. "This is also a violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL) that both parties signed," the military official said. It can be recalled that NPA bandits also beheaded village councilman Ely Oguis of Guinobatan town in November last year. Oguis was sentenced to die for refusing to pay extortion money demanded by the bandits.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=484248