THREE soldiers, including a junior officer, were killed and four others were injured after they were waylaid by New People’s Army rebels in Himamaylan City in Negros Oriental on Sunday morning.
The attack came while the communists are observing their extended unilateral ceasefire, which they declared in response to a call of the United Nations “to help create corridors for life-saving aid” amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The government’s ceasefire, which began on March 19, expired on April 16. There is still no word if government will renew its ceasefire while it continues to address the pandemic.
The slain officer was identified as 2Lt. Ralf Amante Abibico, a platoon leader from the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion, and a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2018.
Also killed were Abibico’s two men — Cpl. Joel Nobleza and Pfc. Carl Venice Bustamante.
Capt. Cenon Pancito, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division based in Capiz, said soldiers from the 94th IB were sent to Barangay Carabalan after the military received reports about NPA rebels in the area.
Maj. Franco Ver Lopez, spokesman of the Army’s 303rd Brigade, said the communists were reportedly forcing the residents to give money and rice.
“Along the way, an IED (improvised explosive device) exploded and the soldiers were bombarded with grenades by the rebels. That brought us to a very disadvantaged position so we had casualties,” said Pancizo.
Pancito said the information about the rebel presence in the area possibly came from the communists themselves who were setting up the attack.
Pancito described Barangay Carabalan as an NPA-infested area. In 2000, 17 soldiers were killed in a similar rebel ambush in the barangay, said Pancito,
The two sides traded gunfire for about 30 minutes, after which the rebels withdrew. Pancito said civilians saw the rebels dragging casualties during the escape.
