Defense Secretary Gazmin and other GRP’s top official bids honor to the fallen soldiers in Northern Samar

By CMO Battalion, 8ID PA
December 18, 2010

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar  –  The Secretary to the Defense Department and four (4) other government’s top officials landed Friday in Catarman, Northern Samar to visit the wake of the ten (10) soldiers who were treacherously waylaid by the terrorist New People’s Army (NPA) in the outskirts of Brgy Perez, Las Navas town last 14 December two days before the government’s declaration for cease fire.

Secretary Voltaire Gazmin of the Defense Department is being accompanied by Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP); Atty. Alexander Padilla, the Chief Negotiator of the GRP Peace Panel; AFP Chief General Ricardo David; Army Chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz to personally condole the bereaved families of victims of the most recent atrocity perpetrated by the terrorist NPA in Eastern Visayas.

The visiting government officials were welcomed at the Catarman Airport by Governor Paul Daza of Northern Samar and Major General Mario Chan and Colonel Oscar Lopez, the commander of the 8th Infantry Division and 803rd Infantry Brigade, respectively.

It can be recalled that troops were marching off “back to barracks” to observe the government’s declaration of suspension of military operations (SOMO) for the Yuletide season when the terrorist NPA ambushed them using destructive improvised mines.  As a result, two (2) soldiers were seriously wounded and ten (10) others were brutally killed.  One innocent minor Joven Cabe was also murdered who was just swimming in the river banks after hitting shrapnel from the exploded mine.

Gazmin and other top officials paid their last honor to the fallen comrades who rendered the supreme sacrifice of offering their lives for the sake of peace, freedom and democracy.  They also gave due recognition to the wounded troops confined at Northern Samar Provincial Hospital who miraculously survived in the brutal massacre perpetrated by the terrorist NPA.

Meanwhile, different human rights advocates have already started condemning the CPP-NPA-NDF with their consistent violation of the terrorist human rights and international humanitarian law.

Some groups who are greatly dismayed with how the terrorist advances their so called revolutionary struggles are now calling out for mobilization to stand firm against these terrorist in support to the lamentation of the bereaved families of the fallen soldiers.

The remains of the ten (10) gallant men of the Army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion lie in state at St Francis Chapel, Camp Sumoroy, Brgy Dalakit, Catarman, Northern Samar.

“These soldiers died a glorious death for God, country and people.  They fought it out to the last and they have won over evil.  They have won in protecting you… For you to continue enjoying the fruit of democracy and freedom,” says Major General Chan.

He further call upon the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) that monitors the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) to look after the incident and let the culprits be charged with the full force of the law as deemed necessary to include all other CARHRIHL violations of the CPP-NPA-NDF.