Hot pursuit operation vs. NPA men who ambushed soldiers in Ilocos Sur on

From the Philippine News Agency (May 3): Hot pursuit operation vs. NPA men who ambushed soldiers in Ilocos Sur on

CAMP PRESIDENT QUIRINO, Ilocos Sur – Pursuit operations are still going on for remnants of a band of the New People's Army (NPA) who ambushed five soldiers returning to their base last Thursday morning in Barangay Remedios, Cervantes, killing three soldiers and wounding another.

Senior Supt. Nestor Felix, Ilocos Sur provincial director, said the dead were identified as Corporal Edward Ryan A. Pingel, Private First Class Ralph Henry A. Balungot, and PFC Joey Labert L. Alejandro; all of the Army's 50th Infantry Batalion based in Cervantes town.

The 50th Infantry Batallion is under the Army's 501st Infantry Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division based in Gamu, Isabela province.

The injured soldier was identified as PFC Rommel B. Pilien. A fifth member of the group,,PFC Arnel Parungao, was unhurt.

Felix said the incident happened at about 9:45 a.m. when the five soldiers were on their way to camp on board a KM450 vehicle.

He said responding local policemen recovered from the ambush site a Caliber .45 pistol; two empty shells for Caliber .45; several empty shells for M-16 and M-14 rifles and fragments of improvised explosive device.

“Our investigation is going on aimed at identifying the suspected armed group involved in this incident,” Felix said.

He theorized that the suspected NPA group behind the ambushcade was also responsible for the burning of the drilling machine of a mining firm in the mountainous area of Barangay Patiacan, Quirino, Ilocos Sur on April 11, 2014 considering the proximity of Quirino town to Cervantes.

A report of the Army's 5th Infantry Division stated the soldiers were ambushed by undetermined number of NPA men believed to be from the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) Montes.

Major Calixto D. Cadano Jr., public affairs officer of the Army's 5th Division, said the soldiers were going back to their Company Post after participating in a “bayanihan” activity in the area when they were ambushed.

“Although outnumbered, our troops on board a KM450 vehicle fought and were able to repulse the attack initiated by the NPA remnants and even recovered one Cal. 45 pistol from them,” he said.

Cadano said that hot pursuit operation against the escaping NPA remnants is now being conducted.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=640227