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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
6 dead, 15 houses razed in Pantukan encounter
By Ben O. Tesiorna
* Army soldiers were conducting civil military operations when attacked by joint team from NPA and MILF
FIFTEEN houses were burned down while six people died when combined forces of the New People's Army (NPA) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) clashed with Army troops in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, Monday afternoon.
The armed encounter happened around 3 p.m. in Sitio Waan, Kingking in Pantukan even as President Arroyo and the insurgents both declared a Christmas truce.
Lt. Col. Edgardo Gonzales, chief of the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in the area, said his men were conducting civil-military operations in the village when at least 60 NPA and MILF rebels attacked them.
After an hour and a half of fierce firefighting, two government soldiers and four rebels were left dead.
At least 15 residential houses were also burned down in the course of the encounter.
Military casualties were building wells, footbridges and health centers for the village, whose residents included a number of former NPA rebels.
Gonzales said the attack could have been a desperate move on the part of the two rebel groups since they have not been receiving support from the residents in the area lately.
The NPA rebels were said to be led by one Kumander Lando of the Front Committee 2 while the MILF commander was not identified.
President Arroyo ordered a suspension of military operations (Somo) Monday against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from December 10 to January 6.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said in a statement that "to promote the peace negotiations" starting next month, the NPA will also stop attacks against government forces between December 20 and January 4.
This was contained in an e-mail from NDF chair Luis Jalandoni, who is based in Utrecht, Netherlands. The NDF said it is issuing a unilateral ceasefire in the spirit of advancing peace talks with the government.
The military ceasefire will be from December 10 to January 6, while the NPA will silence their guns from December 20 to January 4.
"We realize only too well that while our soldiers are ever prepared to go after insurgents, we must find means to give respite to civilian communities affected by conflict, especially in the spirit of the Christmas season," Arroyo said in a written statement Tuesday.
The 9,000-member NPA has been waging an armed guerrilla campaign since 1969. Both sides said they hoped to return to the peace negotiating table early next year after a two-year break. With AFP
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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