Communist rebels ambushed army engineers in Samar

By Maj. FELIX M. MANGYAO, (INF) PA
February 8, 2007

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar  –  NPA terrorists strike anew when they ambushed elements of the 543rd Engineering Construction Battalion, last February 02 at 3:30 pm in Barangay Libertad, Matuguinao, Samar 170 kms. northwest of Tacloban City leaving one (1) soldier dead. The said troops were constructing a school building under PGMA’s Kapit bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) Program. On their way back to their command post, undetermined number of communist terrorist ambushed the said non-combatant unit of the Philippine Army killing one identified as Pvt. Artemio Catalan. The ambushers also suffered casualties as blood stained in their route of withdrawal.

MGen. Armando L. Cunanan, the Commanding General of the 8th Infantry Division, condemned the killing in the strongest possible terms. According to him, “This terror act of the communist terrorist clearly indicates that they are against education, against better future and against better way of life for our people. While the soldiers are committed even to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the education of our youth, the NPA’s are doing otherwise.  It is the right of every Filipino children to receive better education from the government.”

Relatedly, it is of public knowledge, that the communist terrorist in Samar and Leyte Provinces have been pressuring and threatening by force Barangay Captains in the hinterlands to stop and resist road constructions and other development projects by the government so that they could go freely with their terroristic activities. “This, we cannot allow to happen. We will never allow it to happen,” Cunanan added.

As earlier reported, the latest terror acts were the killings of Dominador De Luna and Barangay Captain Vedasto Gabiana. Dominador De Luna is the husband of Samar’s 2nd District Board member, Dayday De Luna. Accordinlgly, the victim while riding in his red XRM Honda motorcycle was shot to death by two unidentified motorcycle-ridding assailants believed to be members of the NPA’s Special Partisan Operation (SPARO) unit last January 29. While Brgy. Cpt. Vedasto Gabiana was shot in cold blood last January 25 at 7:00 pm inside his sari-sari store in Calapi, Motiong, Samar. Said brgy. captain is known for his hard stance against the communist terrorist movement and as alleged, have consistently refused to give in to the demands of 10% barangay IRA to the communist terrorists.