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Thursday, December 22, 2005
11 wounded in fresh NPA attacks
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Communist rebels attacked a group of military band members, wounding at least 11 people, in a remote village in Mindanao, officials said.
Officials said the rebels detonated a landmine and then opened fire on the truck hired by soldiers to bring them to the village of Bangonay village in the town of Jabonga in Agusan del Norte province at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.
"At least eight soldiers, who are band members, and three civilians were injured in the attack," said Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Simbajon, a spokesman for the Army's 4th Infantry Division.
He said the soldiers, all members of the 30th Infantry Battalion, were to perform in the village as part of a Christmas civic program.
The band members were armed only with drums and trumpets and guitars. And the civilians were only drivers and helpers, he said.
From the village, the band members were scheduled to proceed to Remedios T. Romualdez town, also in Agusan del Norte, to entertain guests in a Christmas party hosted by town officials led by Mayor Teresita Soliva.
Simbajon said the truck driver managed to escape from the ambush scene while villagers rescued the soldiers and protected them from the rebels who retreated to the hills.
The military spokesman identified those wounded as Private Arnel Zambas, Private Joel M. Dalumos, Private Rolando J. Pelenio, Corporal Henry Leonor, Private Reuben Lago, Private Artemio A. Tacan, Private Leodegario I. Opema and Private Archie M. Efren, all members of the 30th IB, Philippine Army band.
Wounded civilians included Jecer R. Ali, driver of the Isuzu Cargo truck, Miguel Dela Peña, truck man helper, Marcelino Constante, truck driver.
They were immediately brought to different hospitals here and in Butuan City, which is 55 kilometers from the area where the incident happened.
In Bukidnon province, rebels attacked a policeman in his house in Malaybalay. One person was also wounded in the raid, a military report said.
Rebels earlier killed four soldiers in a daring broad daylight attack at a market in Tagum City. One of the dead was Army Captain Marcelo Quitiquit, officials said.
The four were about to board their van when the gunmen attacked in front of horrified civilians, said Major Gamal Hayudini, a Southern Command spokesman.
He said the gunmen also shot and wounded a woman who was with the soldiers.
The latest attack put in doubt the New People’s Army’s (NPA) sincerity to resume peace talks with the government.
Rebel spokesman Gregorio Rosal earlier said his group is ready to resume peace talks with Manila and declare a truce.
Rosal said they submitted a proposal to the government for the resumption of the talks and is awaiting the reply from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Peace talks have been suspended since August last year following the pullout of the rebels from the talks due to their continued inclusion in the terror lists of the United States and the European Union on Manila's prodding.
It was not known how the latest attack would affect the government decision to declare a unilateral truce before Christmas.
The military said it recommended a two-day ceasefire with the NPA, but the Southern Command is opposing any truce, saying the rebels never ceased to attack government targets.
On Friday, NPA forces detonated a landmine in North Cotabato province, killing 11 soldiers who were on a medical mission.
But Rosal defended the offensives, saying the military never stopped killing militant leaders and human rights activists throughout the country.
"Violations of human rights by the fascist military and its paramilitary forces continue unabated. This year saw record violations of human rights in the wake of the Marcos dictatorship," Rosal said.
The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front, is fighting the past three decades to topple the government and install a Maoist state in the country.
The rebels have vowed to step up attacks on government targets after Manila suspended safety and immunity guarantee for their negotiators following the collapse of the peace talks.
The NPA previously said that it would only return to the peace negotiations if President Arroyo asks the United States and the European Union to strike the rebel group off their terror lists. (Sun.Star Zamboanga/Sunnex/With Ben Serrano of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro)
(December 22, 2005 issue)
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