Ambush victim's tomb defiled

THE tomb of the truck driver who was killed in an ambush staged by New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Barangay Puso, La Castellana last January 27 was ruined, along with two other tombs in Cabacungan Public Cemetery.

Enrique Dingcong, driver of the ambushed truck, was buried Saturday last week, February 2. His tomb was found to be ruined, including his casket, resulting in foul odors from his decomposing body spreading at the cemetery.

Two other tombs were also opened by having been hit with hard objects.

Police are still investigating the case.

Meanwhile, Colonel Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 302nd Brigade of the Philippine Army, said that pursuit operations continue against the suspected NPA rebels believed to be behind the ambush-massacre.

He said the operating units headed by the 11th Infantry Battalion and supported by other Army forces have already pinpointed the area where the rebels are believed to have holed up.

He admitted that he could not say whether the troops can establish armed engagement soon with the fleeing rebels, as the area is so vast but "scouring operations continued."

Patrimonio also said that based on their investigation, the NPA rebels who staged the ambush withdrew backwards from Barangay Puso, La Castellana to Barangay Quintin Remo, a hinterland barangay of Moises Padilla town.

He said the NPA rebels believed to be headed by Magno Flores, leader of Squad 2 of the Larangan Guerilla Unit operating in central Negros, then crossed toward Guihulngan in Negros Oriental.

Earlier, Patrimonio said the ambushers were among those flushed out from Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.

He explained though that there are still areas in Guihulngan that are "sanctuaries" of the NPA.

Patrimonio also explained that, while the 302nd Brigade is based in Negros Oriental, the towns of La Castellana and Moises Padilla are under its operational control.

But since the two localities are in Negros Occidental, the 303rd Brigade based in Murcia town extends support through serving as liaison with the Provincial Government, he added. (TDE)