Despite ceasefire truce, AFP junior officer slain in NPA ambush in ComVal

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 2): Despite ceasefire truce, AFP junior officer slain in NPA ambush in ComVal

The military junior officer, who was killed in a recent ambush staged by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Compostela Valley province, was supposed to see his family in a reunion in his hometown in Bohol but was felled by communist bullets.

Lt. Ronald Bautista, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2011, was allowed to have New Year’s break and was scheduled on fly to Bohol from Davao City when he, and two other government troops, were waylaid in Mabini town Dec. 29.

“He was returning home to reunite with his family during Christmas truce but enemy bullets claimed his life,” said Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, Public Affairs Office chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The two other troops were also killed, they were Pfc. Albert Amor and civilian armed auxiliary member Renel Baluca.

Cabunoc said that the three, all members of the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion (IB), had just came down from the hinterland of Mabini town to take their New Year’s break when they were “murdered in cold blood” by the NPA.

Cabunoc said Bautista was expected by his family in Nabanga, Bohol after calling his mother, Chona, informing her he is coming home for a reunion, bringing gifts for his parents and seven siblings.

Eulogio Bautista, father of the slain junior officer, said they were devastated upon hearing news about his son’s death.

“We were both devastated. We did not expect that he will come home in a coffin during our reunion,” said the elder Bautista.

The elder Bautista said that his son is the first PMA graduate in their hometown.
Cabunoc said that the ambush against Bautista’s group was among the attacks launched by the NPAs while the military was observing suspension of offensive military operation (SOMO) in celebration of the Yuletide season.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines strongly condemns the series of atrocities committed by the New People’s Army during the period of government-declared SOMO,” Cabunoc said.

The government has declared a unilateral ceasefire starting Dec. 18 up to Jan. 19.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA reciprocated the government move by declaring an interrupted ceasefire on Dec. 24 to Dec. 26; Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 and on Jan. 15 to 19, or during the visit of Pope Francis in the country.

“Records show that the NPA has reciprocated the government’s gesture of peace with acts of violence during the period of SOMO,” Cabunoc said.

Aside from the ambush in Mabini, Compostela Valley, the military also blamed the NPAs in atrocities in Panabo, Davao City where they abducted Provincial Jail Waden Marvin Coquilla, and the burning of privately-owned heavy equipment in Camarines Norte.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/despite-ceasefire-truce-afp-junior-officer-slain-in-npa-ambush-in-comval