NPA claims killing Army officer in landmine attacks

From the Manila Bulletin (Dec 17): NPA claims killing Army officer in landmine attacks

The Western Agusan Norte-Agusan Sur Sub-Regional Command of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) claimed it has killed an Army officer and two other soldiers in a series of landmine attacks over the weekend in the towns of Talacogon and La Paz in Agusan del Sur.

Omar Ibarra, the group’s spokesperson, in an emailed statement sent to the media here. said the attacks were staged against the elements of 26th and 36th Infantry Battalions operating in the area on Dec. 13 and 14.

Seven soldiers of the same battalions were also wounded in the attacks, Ibarra added.

At around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Ibarra said the NPAs attacked a platoon-size of 26th and 36th IB soldiers who were stationed in a literacy-numeracy school in Sitio Libon, Barangay Leydia in La Paz town.

It claimed wounding three soldiers in that assault.

The school was operated by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines but has long been abandoned, allowing the soldiers to use it as their barracks, Ibarra added.

Then at 5 a.m. Sunday, the force that came to the besieged soldiers’ aid was met with landmines in Sitio Min-angkig, Barangay Angeles in La Paz where a certain Lt. Meneses was killed and four other soldiers were wounded, the NPA claimed.

Another landmine attack was staged by the NPAs in the afternoon against 26th IB soldiers who were on board military truck in Barangay Zillovia, Talacogon town, Agusan del Sur where two troops were killed.

When reached by Manila Bulletin here on Tuesday evening for confirmation of said reports, both the information offices of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) and the 4th Infantry Division denied having received such information.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through its Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang, has announced the government’s declaration of the suspension of military operations (SOMO) against the NPAs in the country during the Christmas season.

Catapang said the suspension of SOMO will commence at midnight Dec. 18 until midnight of January 19, 2015.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Mindanao has not yet issued any statement in relation to the government’s declaration of truce.

http://www.mb.com.ph/npa-claims-killing-army-officer-in-landmine-attacks/