DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 28, 2013) – Communist rebels killed a government militia and wounded a soldier in an ambush in the southern Philippine province of Compostela Valley province, officials told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Officials said New People’s Army opened fire on the duo – Matrinillo Enot and Pfc. Calid Alo – who were travelling on a motorcycle in the village of Casoon in Monkayo town.
The rebels escaped after the ambush allowing villagers to help the victims who were rushed to hospital in Tagum City, according to army Capt. Albert Caber, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command.
Caber, quoting Lt. Col. Elmer Aterado, commander of the 25th Infantry Battalion, said the victims were unarmed and in civilian clothes heading to their patrol base when the attack occurred.
“This is another deliberate violation against human rights committed by the NPA. Our troops are simply protecting the community from illegal activities of the NPA such as extortion, among others,” Aterado said.
Caber said the Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, condemned the attack on Alo and Enot and ordered troops to intensify their operations against the rebel group, which has been fighting for a separate state in the country.
“I directed all military units to remain vigilant in carrying out peace and development initiatives in the region,” Cruz said.
The NPA owned up the attack and said it was part of a harassment campaign to combat preparations for the bio-fuel, palm oil and mining projects in Agusan and Compostela Valley boundaries.
It accused the military, specially its so-called peace and development teams, of abusing villagers to pave the way for the large-scale bio-fuel, palm oil and mining projects.
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