Saturday, April 28, 2007 Comval strafing survivors refuse to talk: Army By Carlo P. Mallo
THE three persons who survived being peppered with bullets by a group of soldiers when they refused to stop at a checkpoint in Compostela Valley, Wednesday night, remained mum, the military said.
"They (survivors) won't speak of the true reason why they refused to stop at the checkpoint," said Major Randolph Cabangbang, information officer of the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The strafing incident resulted in the death of a man and woman and wounding of three others. Those killed were identified as Aurelia Bugahod and Elias Mabundas.
Those wounded -- Warlito Villafuerte, Beato Suralba, and Monith Bugaod -- were brought to the Tagum Regional Hospital in Tagum City.
Initial investigation of the military revealed that Bugaod was being rushed by the group to the Tagum Regional Hospital as he was alleged to have sustained shrapnel and bullet wounds prior to the strafing incident.
The five were onboard a motorcycle along the national highway at the border of Maragusan and New Bataan towns of Compostela Valley where the military had set up a checkpoint.
