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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
6 dead, 15 houses razed in Pantukan encounter
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Six people were killed and a village was set ablaze 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.
Fifteen houses were also burned down after an almost two-hour firefight between the rebels and the government forces.
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), 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.
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.
A certain Kumander Lando of the Front Committee 2 reportedly led the NPA rebels while the MILF commander was not identified.
President Arroyo Monday ordered a suspension of military operations (Somo) against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the MILF from December 10 to January 6.
The CPP, in a statement, said that "to promote the peace negotiations" starting next month, the NPA would also stop attacks against government forces between December 20 and January 4.
Arroyo said Tuesday that the Somo against the NPA "is a recommendation of the defense and the military organizations as a sign of their support for the peace process."
She said the temporary ceasefire shows the government's willingness to press for peace talks with communist rebels.
"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 statement.
"This goes with our firm commitment to a principled pursuit of peace, negotiations and the resolutions of conflict through non-violent means," she added.
Arroyo declared a unilateral cease-fire with insurgents Monday in celebration of Christmas beginning Wednesday.
The CPP, however, stressed that the communist guerillas will maintain a defensive mode at both its strategic and tactical levels, and shall remain vigilant against any encroachment on the territory of the people's democratic government, surveillance or offensive operations by the armed commands and units of the government.
The communist leadership noted that the supposed unilateral ceasefire with the government has been violated both by the AFP and PNP on the false presumption and pretext of "law enforcement" and "keeping peace and order".
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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