Army soldier gave his life for an honest election

By LtC FELIX M. MANGYAO (INF) PA
May 18, 2007

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar  –  Elements of the Alpha Company of 63rd Infantry Battalion were ambushed by fully armed NPA rebels while on mission to secure the retrieval of the ballot boxes in Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar in the afternoon of May 15, 2007 at around 2:45 p.m.

The troops led by Second Lieutenant Rosuelo were on their way to barangay Giparayan De Turag of the said town when they were ambushed by heavily armed communist terrorists.

A brief firefight ensued that lasted for about 15 minutes but enemy withdrew with their fallen comrades while one army soldier gave his precious life to secure the sanctity of election for the bright future of his children.

The incident was another product of a barbaric mind of the CPP/NPA leadership who intend to hamper and ruin the honest and orderly conduct of the local and national canvassing in the region.

Meanwhile on 3:15 a.m. of the same day, military troops from 46th Infantry Battalion while conducting security patrol encountered ten (10) fully armed communist terrorists in Matuguinao, Samar.

A five-minute firefight ensued that resulted to undetermined number of casualties from the enemy side due to the bloodstain seen in the encounter site while negative casualty from the government side.

The series of encounter with the NPA during the election period shows that the communist party is trying to disrupt the election and create a climate of fear and terror in the region as they were not successful with their collection of Permit to Campaign (PTCs) and Permit to Win (PTWs). Reports reaching defense establishment that the CPP/NPA will resort to kidnapping and assassination of electoral candidates who did not pay PTCs.