An undated photo of Corporal Wenie Carampatan released to the Mindanao Examiner by the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division. Carampatan was gunned down Thursday, November 10, 2011 by New People’s Army rebels in front of his two children and nephew while on their way to school in Davao City.
DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 10, 2011) – Communist insurgents gunned down Thursday an off -duty army soldier in front of his horrified children in Davao City in the southern Philippines, officials said.
Officials said the soldier, Corporal Wenie Carampatan, was bringing his two children and a nephew to school in the village of Malabog in Paquibato district when rebels attacked him at around 6:30 a.m.
“He was non-combatant, and worst, his death was witnessed by his family. This is a clear manifestation of NPAs brutality even if it involves defenseless civilians,” said Army Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, a spokesman for the 10th Infantry Division.
Paniza blamed the attack to the New People’s Army which has been waging a secessionist war in the country for decades now. He said three gunmen were involved in the attack.
“These criminals exploited the most vulnerable time where Corporal Carampatan was unarmed. This incident is just one of the many violations the NPAs committed against Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.”
“We are hoping that those from the Commission on Human Rights and other human rights advocates will see to it that justice will be served to the family of the victim and the lawless criminals be penalized. In fact, the case is now under investigation for filing of appropriate criminal charges,” he said.
Paniza said the rebels were also behind the abduction and killings last month of another soldier and a pro-government militia in Paquibato’s Mapula village. (Mindanao Examiner)
20