NPA rebels ambush Army platoon

A PLATOON of 12th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Cauayan town in southern Negros Occidental was ambushed by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels Thursday evening.

The ambush resulted to the death of a Cafgu member and the wounding of another member, a police report said.

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But Army Col. Maximo Caro, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the ambush in Cauayan is an isolated case. The town is said to be a rebel-infested area in Negros in previous years.

Cafgu member Roger Quezon succumbed in the ambush and wounded was Richard Alinton of Barangay Tiling, Cauayan.

In his report to the Noppo Operations and Plans Branch, Police Inspector Louie Figueroa, police chief of the said municipality said while the team of Army troopers led by S/Sgt Rexes Gelvosa was conducting combat patrol operations in Sitio Tagaytay, Barangay Camalandaan in the town, around nine suspected NPA rebels waylaid the victims.

The suspects also carted away the M14 rifle of one of the victims after the ambush.

Noppo director Police Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix has directed all PNP units in the 6th District to establish road blocks for possible exit routes of the fleeing rebels.

The ambush is already the third incident that occurred in the province and the first was last February 12 in Barangay San Pablo, Manapla town that caused the death of two leaders of the CPP-NPA and March 7 in the hinterlands of Caduhaan, Cadiz City that killed six rebel members which also yielded recovery of five high-powered firearms.

The series of ambush perhaps is intended to create an impression that the rebels’ group has still of its strength.

Also, it could be in relation to their 41st annual founding anniversary to create an embarrassment that by June urgency is inconsequential, said Caro.

“They just want to score for their meaningful anniversary,” said Caro.