MALUNGON, Sarangani Province –Nine were killed when New People’s Army (NPA) rebels ambushed government troops in two separate incidents in North Cotabato this Monday morning.
Personnel of Golf Company, 38th Infantry Battalion under Captain Ernesto Aguilar were on their way to Barangay Bacong, Tulunan to distribute the subsistence allowance of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGUs) when more or less 50 fully armed NPA detonated a landmine and ambushed the troops at SitioManggi, Barangay Bituan, one of the declared peace zones in Tulunan, at about 9:10am.
Eight were declared dead, one is in critical condition and was brought immediately to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist for treatment, while Captain Aguilar was the lone survivor in the ambush. The NPA carted away seven firearms of the ambushed troops.
In a separate incident, while government troops of the 57th Infantry Battalion led by 1st Lieutenant Bruno Jugowere on their way to reinforce the troops of Captain Aguilar following the incident in Barangay Bacong, the NPA again detonated a landmine and ambushed the troops at Purok 2, Barangay Luna Norte, Makilala at about 11:25am. Initial reports state that there were four wounded and one killed on the government side in the latest ambush.
“The two incidents were very unfortunate for our personnel and their families. We extend our sincere condolences to the families of our troops who were killed in the ambush by the NPA this morning and we will extend any possible assistance to their families and we will pursue the perpetratorsas we seek to give justice to their death. ,” said Colonel Marcos Norman Flores, Commander of the 1002nd Infantry Brigade.
After these recent NPA atrocities, they are expected to mingle with the communities, hide their firearms, task their Yunit Militia (YuMil) to monitor the movement of the troops, create disinformation and will highlight the inability of the Army to protect the communities. They will also use the peace zones as their haven or refuge as they evade pursuing government troops.
Barangay Bituan was declared a peace zone in Tulunan on February 27, 1990 following a resolution passed by the Barangay officials supported by the church and the local government. Other areas include Barangay BacungNabundasan, and the sitios of New Alimodian in Barangay Banayal and Miatub in Barangay Tuburan.
“This criminal act of the NPA in using landmines has to stop. The NPA even disregarded the ambush site a declared zone of peace. They are just repeating their countless violation on the agreement on the declaration of peace zones.
We call on various human rights group including the Karapatan, who remained mum whenever the NPA commits serious human rights violations but are active whenever there are alleged, unfounded and deceitful propaganda against the government, to put a stop and to condemn the heinous crimes of the NPA,” Colonel Flores added.
Countless violations of the NPA in the peace zones include attack against the AFP stationed near Barangay Bituan killing three soldiers and burning their corpses immediately after the declaration of the peace zone in 1990, raid against a military detachment in Bituan carting away 23 high-powered firearms in November 2006, and a landmine attack against the medical and dental team off to conduct free medical mission in Barangay Bacung that killed four soldiers and wounded seven others last December 2006.(1002nd Brigade Public Affairs Office)
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