Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año condemned on Saturday, Feb. 12, the New People’s Army (NPA) for the encounter in Northern Samar that led to the death of two children.

Año said the communist rebels opened fire at the troop of the Philippine Army’s (PA’s) 803 Infantry Brigade who were on patrol in Barangay Roxas that resulted in the death of Andre Mercado, 12 and Leandro Alivio, 13, who were both in the area to gather coconuts.

“Mga walang puso at kaluluwa ang mga salot sa lipunan na ito (They (NPA) are heartless with no soul and a plague in this society). The NPA has time and again proven that they are terrorists),’’ Año said.

“The DILG condemns this heinous crime against two children who were unfortunately at the wrong place and time. We condole with their families and vow to give them the justice they deserve,” he added.

Año He expressed dismay over the NPA’s indiscriminate firing that led to the death of the two children.

“They have crossed, yet again, the road to hell by killing two innocent children. Wala na silang pinipili. This is what their supposed cause for the people looks like. The bloodshed that knows no limit, targeting the vulnerable and the weak,” Año maintained.

PA 803rd Infantry Brigade’s Capt. Valben Almirante said Mercado died on the spot while Alivio succumbed to injuries after a few hours at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital in Catarman town while undergoing treatment.

“Our patrolling troops were on the same location with the victims when the NPA launched an attack. We were in the area responding to reports that the NPA has been doing extortion activities,” Almirante said.

In the wake of the bloody incident, Año called out the supporters of the terrorist groups saying “that the blood of the two children and other victims of the NPA is on their hands as they have enabled and furthered the cause of communist terrorism for decades by incessantly funding and sustaining them.’’

He insisted “that it is an open secret that aside from their extortion activities, the NPA has been receiving support and funding from various sources and has infiltrated even the public and private sectors.’’

“I hope that they finally realize that the communist terrorist group they are cuddling is killing innocent children. And they are the ones who fueled and created these monsters who are now on a killing spree against our countrymen, women, and children,” Año stressed. (Chito A. Chavez)