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NPAs ambush soldiers responding to request for assistance in Eastern Samar

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
March 1, 2012

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City  –  A military escort team of the 43rd Infantry Battalion based in Eastern Samar was ambushed by about thirty communist terrorists on February 27 at about 8:00 o’clock in the evening at the vicinity of Barangay Antipolo in the municipality of Llorente in Eastern Samar.

Lt. Colonel Niceforo Diaz, spokesman of the 8th Infantry Division, informed that the team was on board a military vehicle, responding to the request for law enforcement assistance from the Regional Trial Court Branch III of Guiuan to secure confiscated illegally-mined Chromite minerals when it was ambushed.

The military vehicle was damaged when communist terrorists detonated the four (4) landmines they planted along the road.

The soldiers fought back and bravely held their ground for about an hour until the perpetrators were repelled causing them to retreat with a number of casualties.

One soldier, however, Private First Class Erwin G. Ocenada, a native of Paranas, Western Samar was killed in the incident, Lt. Colonel Diaz said.

Seven soldiers were wounded as well but only three remain under treatment at a hospital in the City of Borongan as of press time.

Meanwhile, Eastern Samar Provincial Police Director Manuel Cubillo in an earlier statement informed that upon learning of the incident on February 27, elements of the Llorente Municipal Police and the Eastern Samar Provincial Police Office immediately proceeded to the scene of the crime.

Director Cubillo said that the military team was led by Sgt. Rogelio Barbosa together with some 13 soldiers were ambushed and land mined by more or less thirty heavily armed communist terrorists led by an unidentified female commander.

Recovered from the scene, Director Cubillo said, were two (2) unexploded hand granades, assorted ammunitions and empty shells of different calibers and one (1) magazine of AK 47 assault rifle loaded with 40 live ammunitions and personal belongings of communist terrorists.

The Eastern Samar National Police continues to conduct thorough investigation regarding the said incident.

The Eastern Samar Provincial Police Director underscored that despite the incident on February 27, Eastern Samar remains to be generally peaceful.