Palawan military, police continue to look for suspects in ambush of Marines

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 11): Palawan military, police continue to look for suspects in ambush of Marines

Military and police authorities in Palawan are determined on finding the whereabouts of unnamed members of the New People’s Army (NPA) responsible for the ambush of the convoy of Lt. Col. Vince Blanco in Taytay earlier this month.

Western Command (Wescom) spokesperson Lt. Cheryl Tindog said since the roadside ambush on the commander of the 4th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT 4) on August 26 at Sitio Ibangley, Barangay Alimanguan, Taytay, the military and the police are still pursuing the armed members of the NPA in the mountainous areas of Taytay and the adjoining town of San Vicente.

She said they are also confirming if how many from the NPA group had been wounded from the firefight that ensued after it failed to incapacitate the Marines.

After the incident, the Wescom called on the members of the leftist movement to “get down and surrender,” and have their wounds be treated in the hospital. No one replied to the call.

“Our search for the suspects is ongoing. They are also Filipinos and they’re just lost in who or what to believe. Part of looking for them is also to correct their wrong beliefs against the government. If they are wounded, they should come down and allow us to help them in their wounds,” she said.

Tindog said despite the ambush, they are still willing to accept anyone from the NPA who will lay down his arm, surrender, and return to the fold.

The ambush of the two-vehicle convoy of MBLT 4 resulted to the wounding of Sgt. Renato Soler, Lt. Rodelito Ramos, and Pvt. Marvin Montibon. Blanco, on the other hand, was unscathed in the ambush.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=564691