Two Philippine Army (PA) personnel were instantly killed while two others were injured when suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels ambushed troops who were about to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations in Abra on Friday, Oct. 27, in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake there.
Col. Medel Aguilar, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the casualties belonged to the Abra-based 24th Infantry “Wildcat” Battalion (24IB) of the 5th Infantry Division (5ID).
The fatalities were identified as Privates First Class Ariz Bautista and Jimmy Viernes while the names of the two wounded soldiers were not disclosed for security reasons.
After a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Abra last Tuesday, Aguilar said the troops were recalled from their combat operations to augment the teams that will conduct HADR operations in the municipality of Baay-Licuan.
Accordingly, the troops were on their way to the unit command post for the HADR when they were ambushed by at least 10 armed men believed to be members of the NPA’s Komiteng Larangan Gerilya (KLG) Abra in Barangay Gacab, municipality of Malibcong.
“Itong apat ay naatasan na mag-augment sa HADR. On their way ay tinambangan sila ng NPA at dalawa ang namatay on the spot tapos ‘yung dalawa ay nasugatan (These four soldiers were assigned to augment the HADR operations. On their way, they were ambushed by the NPA and two of them died on the spot while two others were injured),” Aguilar said.
The wounded soldiers were already recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.
The military spokesperson said there was a temporary encampment of NPA found in the ambush site.
“Siguro ay nag-aabang sila ng mga tropa na pupunta. Wala kaming ibang suspects kundi sila. May identified na unit, itong KLG Abra. Sila lang ‘yon (Perhaps they were waiting for troops there. We have no other suspects but them. We have identified a unit, a certain KLG Abra. They are the perpetrators),” Aguilar said.
Military officers in Abra condemned the NPA for killing the soldiers who, they said, only wanted to help the earthquake victims.
"We condemn in the strongest terms possible the barbaric act of the CTG . We assure our people particularly the families of our soldiers that we will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” said Lt. Col. Ricardo Garcia III, battalion commander of the 24IB.
“This gruesome ambush against our soldiers in disaster response mode is another proof of their cruelty and inhumanity to our countrymen. Naghihirap na nga ang kababayan natin sa trahedya, itong mga nais na tumulong at magresponde na sundalo natin sana ay walang awang pinaslang nila (Our residents are suffering from the tragedy and our soldiers who want to help and respond were mercilessly killed),” said Brig. Gen. Audrey Pasia, 5ID commander.