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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
2 girls wounded in Monkayo clash
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Two girls aged six and nine were hit in the crossfire of the gun battle between government troops and the New People's Army (NPA) that resulted in the death of four soldiers at a remote village in Monkayo, Compostela Valley on Saturday.
The siblings, Jinky and Rebecca Estancia, were on their way home from attending a fiesta when they walked into the gun battle.
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Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy told Sun.Star through text messaging that the girls are now in stable condition at the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City.
Military officials contacted about the civilian casualties said the girls just happened to be walking with the soldiers when the ambush happened.
A report in a national news website, however, quoted the girl's father, identified as Alex, as saying the girls were administered the first aid by NPA medics at the scene of the incident before being loaded onto a passenger motorcycle (habal-habal) for hospital treatment.
The father even confirmed that the rebels gave P4,000 to the children's uncle, supposedly to pay for medical expenses.
The father was watching over the two girls at the Davao Regional Hospital last Sunday when interviewed by reporters. The girls were being treated there for multiple shrapnel wounds.
Lieutenant General Cardoso Luna of the Eastern Mindanao Command earlier identified the fatalities as Ssgt. Leo Bocter, Pfc. Romeo Miro, CAA Sam-O and CAA Galo. The wounded were only identified as Cpl. Catanduanes, CAA Dandan and CAA Escalera.
The soldiers also lost two AR18, one M14 and two Garand rifles.
Colonel Rolando Bautista, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division, said the incident happened around 2 p.m. in Barangay San Isidro.
He said seven soldiers from the Army's 28th and 72nd IB were conducting patrol when they encountered the rebels belonging to the Guerilla Front 3 under Ka Jinggoy.
The firefight reportedly lasted for 30 minutes before the rebels withdrew, the military said. Apparently, however, the rebels still had time to attend to the wounded civilians before fleeing. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (April 29, 2008 issue)
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