Two army soldiers from the 71st Infantry Battalion and one
member of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) were killed by
the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Barigyan, Barangay Candinuyan, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province
While the identity of the casualties were put on hold, the
10th Infantry Agila Division of the Philippine Army said the three were in
civilian clothes on board one motorcycle on their way to Barangay Anitapan for
a Christmas break when they were reportedly stopped and waylaid by eight NPA
rebels.
The 10th ID strongly condemned such treacherous attack by
NPA rebels who murdered unarmed soldiers.
Lt. Vergel U. Lacambra, the Chief of the 10th ID Public
Affairs Office, revealed that the responding troops from 71st IB found the
three soldiers with multiple gunshot wounds in their body and were all
unconscious upon their arrival at the scene.
“The AFP has been observing the month-long Suspension of
Military Operations (SOMO) since December 18 and has consequently shifted to
community services.” Lacambra said.
While the PA declared a unilateral SOMO inclusive from
December 18 to January 5, 2015, the Communist Party of the Philippines/National
Democratic Front/NPA (CPP/NDF/NPA) declared a ceasefire during the holidays and
the upcoming visit of Pope Francis. The truce will cover Dec. 24, 2014 to Dec.
26, 2014; Dec. 31, 2014 to Jan. 1, 2015; and Jan. 15, 2015 to Jan. 19, 2015.
The NPA also ordered its fighters to desist from carrying
out offensive operations against the police and the military, as well as the
government’s paramilitary groups. The party marked its 46th founding
anniversary on December 26.
But the army lambasted the actions of the NPA with the
abduction of ComVal Provincial Rehabilitation Center Jail Warden Jose Mervin
Coquilla last December 23 followed by the killing of the three government
troopers.
“The continued banditry attacks disprove the sugar-coated
statements of the CPP-NPA. They claim that they are pursuing peace but their
actions clearly contradict what they are saying,” said 10th Infantry Agila
Division Commander Major General Eduardo M. Año.
“We sympathize with the bereaved families of the slain
soldiers and will exert all efforts to bring to justice those responsible for
this merciless, treacherous crime,” General Año said. The families of the
soldiers are yet to be informed of the incident.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=720296
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