A soldier was killed and three other government troopers
were wounded when suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attack a
military disaster response truck in northern Samar
early Tuesday morning, hours before the start of 12-day unilateral ceasefire.
The military cargo truck was heading to the town center of
Las Navas, carrying six soldiers tasked to deliver equipment for Las Navas
Agro-Industrial School, a training center run by the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority.
The ambuscade took place in the remote village of Bukid
The firefight with undetermined number of suspected
communist rebels lasted for 15 minutes, said Capt. Isagani Viernes, spokesman
of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan
City , Samar .
Las Navas, a fourth class farming town, is about 317
kilometers north from the regional capital of Tacloban.
Equipment are supposed to be used for disaster response in
the town after typhoon "Nona’s" devastation.
Viernes refused to name the victims since their families are
not yet informed about the incident. The army troops belong to the 20th
Infantry Battalion based in Opong village, Catubig, Northern
Samar .
Wounded soldiers were brought to hospitals in Tacloban City
and in a district hospital in Catubig town in Northern
Samar for treatment.
“Since the aftermath of typhoon Nona, we don’t have military
offensive since our focus is on disaster response. Rebels are taking advantage
on our operation,” Viernes said.
The rebels launched the attack before the 12-day holiday
truce and four days after the ambuscade of a disaster response military in
Pinabacdao, Samar .
President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the
recommendation of the Department of National Defense for the unilateral
declaration of the Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO) against the NPA for
the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The SOMO will commence at 12:01 a.m. of December 23, 2015
and would end at 11:59 p.m. of January 3, 2016.
“We will be on defensive mode even if there’s SOMO because
rebels traditionally mark their anniversary with atrocities,” Viernes added.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army
will celebrate its 47th founding anniversary on Dec. 26.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=840469
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