Another top Leyte NPA leader fell

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
February 26, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Army Troopers, while conducting checkpoint along Jaro-Alangalang Maharlika Highway on February 25, 2007, successfully apprehended at about 7:15 in the morning, Antonio Ramos aka Pingkoy / Mando the newly designated Secretary of the North Leyte Front, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee of the CPP-NPA.

Ramos replaced the late Bibiano Rentellosa aka Tomas / Tommy / Tatay who was killed during an encounter with the Commando Troopers on 11 Sept 2006 at vicinity Sitio Taghoy, Bgy. Libertad , Kananga, Leyte.

First Lieutenant Dennis C. Almorato, Public Information Officer and Spokesman of the Commando Troopers informed PIA that Antonio Ramos was apprehended at the vicinity of Barangay Olutan, Jaro, Leyte while on board a Public Utility Vehicle on his way to Tacloban City.

He was apprehended by the troopers of the 19th Infantry Commando Battalion together with the 8th Intelligence Security Unit, Intelligence Security Group led by Lt. Colonel Lope C. Dagoy, the commanding officer of the 19th IB and 2nd Lt. Ruel Adrian Benedicto, commanding officer of the Alpha Company of the 19th IB.

Ramos peacefully went with the apprehending troopers. However, at about 9:10 o’clock on the same day, while the troops together with him, were on their way to the Battalion Headquarters at Barangay Aguiting, Kananga, Leyte on board on M35 truck, Ramos suddenly grabbed the rifle of one of the troops on board the M35 Truck and managed to fire a shot hitting the left railings of the truck.

During the ensuing scuffle, a trooper identified as Corporal Jose Elizalde III, shot Antonio Ramos twice in order to incapacitate him. Sustaining two gunshot wounds at the abdominal portion of the body, Ramos was immediately rushed to the Ormoc Sugar Planters Association (OSPA) Hospital for immediate treatment, but he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. His corpse now lies at V-RAMA Funeral Homes for proper disposition.

First Lieutenant Amorato said that this another wave of tactical victory by the Commando Troopers against the Communist Terrorists of the North Leyte Front, demonstrates its sustained and strong-willed combat power over the dissipating Communist Terrorists in the area who are now suffering from a severe and enduring demoralization among its ranks due to the sustained combat operations of the unit.

Lt. Colonel Lope C. Dagoy, commanding officers of the 19th Infantry Battalion, stressed that the tactical gains of his unit is consistent with his personal timeline to dismantle the North Leyte Front within six (6) months to one year as he has earlier promised to do.

He added that by these, the military troopers have ably demonstrated that they have denied the North Leyte Front any reason to pursue with their futile cause and instead convinced them to join the mainstream of society for a better future of their lives, as others have started to do.