CATBALOGAN CITY -- Two days before the May 9 polls, one soldier was killed while six others were wounded when members of the New People’s Army (NPA) ambushed the security forces who were escorting a private courier transporting the vote counting machines (VCMs) to the pacific towns of Northern Samar.
Eastern Visayas Police Director Jose Erwin Villacorte said troops from the 20th Infantry Battalion and personnel of the Mapanas Police Station, were partly hit by a landmine planted on the right shoulder of the Corazon Aquino highway along Sitio Mambot, Barangay Manaybanay in Mapanas town around 3:10 p.m. Saturday, May 7.
The blast was immediately followed by burst of fire coming from more or less 30 members of the NPA, resulting in the death of one soldier identified as Private Louieden Quebec, 20, a resident of Barangay Lokilokon, Paranas, Samar.
Also wounded during the attack was Private First Class Michael Cagata, 27, a resident of Lucena City, and five more civilians, who along with Cagata, were brought to Mapanas Rural Health Center for medical treatment.
Inspector Lope Cebreros III, the town police chief, said the troops were able to secure the VCMs after an almost 30-minute gunfire.
“The rebel withdrew, carrying undetermined casualties,” Cebreros said.
Around 4:25 p.m. of May 7, reinforcement troops from the 20IB led by First Lieutenant Alge Oronon, who is on mission to extract the dead and wounded soldiers, were also ambushed by the NPA blocking force in the vicinity of Barangay Maragano, in Palapag town.
The second ambush resulted in another round of firefight between the Army and the rebels.
No casualty was reported in the gunfight, which lasted for about three minutes.
Recovered in the first ambush site was a plastic container, four white galloons covered by a black cloth, a hundred meter blasting wires and a banner with markings “Justice for Emil Go.”
Police said Go is a Makabayan activist and municipal council secretary of Palapag town who was slain by gunmen last April 29 in front of his residence in Palapag.
Fr. Santiago Salas, spokesman of the National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas, condemned the killing of Go and blamed the military and an influential political dynasty in Northern Samar as behind the killing.
Both officials of the military and police in the region condemned the attack and launched hot pursuit and area investigations.
Villacorte said the attack is another act of terrorism and violence manifesting the NPA's vicious objective to disrupt the May 9 elections by staging ambuscades among government troops.
“This is another proof of the consistency of the communist rebel’s decadent deeds in sabotaging the economy and making the people suffer,” Villacorte said.
“The CNN has proven once again that they are the biggest extortion syndicate and human rights oppressor in the country. With the recent attacks, the sincerity of the CNN in achieving peace and ending violence remains highly questionable,” the region’s top cop added.
The official said the Philippine National Police, with the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies, remains vigilant and is ready to respond appropriately to any transgression that would endanger the safety and well-being of the people, especially during the election period.
“The PNP will continue to pursue its mandate of preserving Secure and Fair Elections. The public is encouraged to join hands with the PNP and AFP in tracking down the insurgents who carried out the attack,” Villacorte. (Sunnex)