8th Infantry Division mourns over ambush comrades, NPA rebels commend success

By GINA DEAN-RAGUDO & ELADIO PERFECTO
December 26, 2010

CATARMAN, Northern Samar  –  The successive ambush incidents in Northern Samar have boosted the NPA rebels’ strength. This part of the island where a regional operational command is situated has a strike force with more than 100 fully equipped, said a former military commander. The latest explosion of a landmine on December 14, 2010 has killed 10 soldiers belonging to the 63rd Infantry Battalion, a 9 year old boy and wounded 2 other military combatants. Said incident happened when the troop was heading back to their camp traversing the remote area of Brgy. Sta. Fe, Las Navas, Northern Samar where they were confronted by more or less 50 heavily armed men believed to be members of the CPP/NPA/NDF.

The fatalities were identified as Sgt. Antonio P. Imperial (39), Catbalogan, Samar; Cpl Rey Villagracia (38), Borongan, Eastern Samar; Cpl Richard J. Maximo (32), Palawan; Cpl Nathaniel Colima (31), Hernani, Eastern Samar; Cpl Allan Rafinian (32), Brgy. Dalakit, Catarman, Northern Samar; Pfc Juanito Millagracia (34), Mondragon, Northern Samar; Pfc Jarold Vergara (22), Lanao Del Norte; Pfc Nathaniel Mamerto (25), San Agustin, Surigao Del Sur, Pfc Jayson Alcala (23), Oras, Eastern Samar; and Pfc Roy Cascano (33), Brgy. Dalakit, Catarman, Northern Samar.

The nine (9) year old boy hit and killed during the incident was identified as Joven Cabe, a resident of Brgy. Perez, Las Navas town.

The two combatants who have survived from gunshot wounds were Cpl Ricardo Gabral and Pfc Hezer Pabillion.

In a visit to St. Francis Chapel at Camp Juan Ponce Sumuroy in Catarman Northern Samar, top military officials have paid tribute to the slain soldiers.  Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, OPPAP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process) Sec. Teresita "Ding" Deles, Government Peace Panel Chief Atty. Alexander Padilla, AFP Chief of Staff Ricardo David, Army Chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, 8ID Chief Maj. Gen. Mario Chan and others expressed their sympathies to the immediate families and gave financial assistance as well as AFP Educational Benefit System through scholarships.

In a text message released by 803rd Deputy Brigade Commander Rolando Malinao it says that “these Christian 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 in enjoying the fruits of democracy and freedom. We thank you all, in behalf of their families, your silent prayers and sympathies. But we will honor them more if we turn that silence into a loud voice of support to their heroism and condemnation of the CPP/NPA/NDF. Let’s now translate this into resolutions and mobilization, and once and for all let us make a stand for the sake of our children and our children's children."

Earlier, a series of ambush incidents were reported from the same town of Las Navas.  A group of soldiers while taking a bath in a river along Brgy. Del Pilar, was sniped by NPA rebels, and on December 9 while on board a motorized banca en route to Brgy. Poponton, Brgy. Taylor was trapped by another terrorist act of deception by the same group.

On the other hand, a press statement issued by the Efren Martires Command (EMC) entitled “Successful Las Navas ambush a punishment of the military in response to the people's demand” dated December 18, 2010 has commended the NPA in Northern Samar for heeding the people's demand to punish the military, killing 10 fascist troops of the 63rd IB and confiscating 11 high-powered firearms.

It accused the 8th Infantry Division for committing many human rights abuses in the second half of this year through widespread military operations in Samar Island.

It further stressed that the people have long been seething and demanding the punishment of 8th ID troops who were responsible for bombing their communities, killing suspected NPA supporters, destroying crops, looting and burning houses, torturing and harassing the people, forcing mass evacuations and other human rights violations.

The militarization of Samar and the consequent abuses were glossed over by 8th ID chief Gen. Mario Chan, with his meaningless boasts of having "captured" 43 NPA camps and that the NPA was finished. Now Gen. Chan is eating his own words and the people are rejoicing at the sterling victory of the NPA and the punishment of the fascist tormentors."

EMC spokesperson Ka Karlos Manuel expressed regret at the reported death of a child in the ambush but pinned responsibility on the military. "News reports state the child was not inside the ambush area but swimming in a nearby river. The NPA had defined targets within the ambush area, so how could the child be hit when he was not even inside the danger zone? The EMC instead believed the child was either hit by the ambushed soldiers firing indiscriminately to save themselves, or else deliberately shot afterwards by enemy reinforcements for anti-NPA black propaganda. The NPA certainly welcomes any investigation that would strengthen the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the prospects for peace negotiations."

The Ka Karlos also said that the NPA offensive occurred before the mutual ceasefire between the NDFP and the Philippine government on December 16 with which it is now complying. "The NPA views with disdain the comments by Gen. Chan that the Las Navas ambush is an act of treachery, even though it happened before the ceasefire, and furthermore implying that the NDFP is insincere about the peace talks. Gen. Chan is contemptible for accusing the NPA of warmongering when it is the 8th ID that has been mounting massive military operations in Samar Island for the past months and causing untold suffering to the people. The ambushed 63rd IB troops were in fact on their routine combat operation, the reason why the NPA had correctly anticipated their movements and prepared to do battle. And if insincerity should be cited, it is on the part of the 8th ID and the Aquino government who has militarized Samar is preparing a fresh offensive next year to supplant Oplan Bantay Laya."

Manuel however assured the officials and members of the military and police who have no serious crimes that they will not be arrested or punished during the NPA's ceasefire from 00:01H of Dec. 16, 2010 to 23:59H of January 3, 2011. "They may also individually visit their friends and families inside the territory of the people's democratic government. At the same time, the EMC calls on all NPA units to actively defend themselves only if there is a clear and present danger, and to closely monitor enemy movements and immediately report any ceasefire violation by the enemy. Violations that may be reported include operations by the military, paramilitary and police; fascist violence such as harassments and road blockades; and other hostile actions within and around guerrilla zones and fronts. Any ceasefire violation by enemy forces should be immediately reported to the Information Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines.”

Northern Samar representative condemns NPA attacks

Northern Samar 2nd District Representative Emil Ong violently condemned the use of landmines and other terrorist acts of the NPA rebels. As one of the negotiators during the time of President Cory Aquino, he appealed before the group and convinced them to join the government by running in any position to convey their grievances.

He admitted of having gained support from the underground movement during campaign period but he never tolerated any kind of atrocity committed by the group whom he suspected that said act of terrorism was not tolerated by the real NPA hierarchy.

He added that the victims of the latest ambush in his area are considered heroes.

Ong who also gave financial support to the widows and immediate families of the slain soldiers said that lives cannot be measured by money but his act is a form of sympathy.

He said that he was very disappointed on the series of ambush incidents in his district as it would definitely affect his attempt to promote their tourism industry, and the effect would defeat the purpose of improving the economic progress of the people.

“Any single incident is a block mark to tourism”, he said.

In his efforts to recognize the real causes of these incidents, he disclosed that he could not understand the demands of the CPP/NPA/NDF for the latter would only tell him that they have profound basis for instituting offensive attacks against the government troops. He however hoped that the peace talk on January 2011 will be fruitful.

Cong. Ong appealed to PNoy’s administration to allocate bigger budget to agriculture for he believed that one way of solving insurgency problem in the area is by providing “food sufficiency than military sufficiency” as it will lessen the susceptibility to join the rebel group.

“I am not threatening the new administration but appealing to increase the budgetary support for agriculture like other departments,” he added.