SAGADA,
Mountain Province – Officials of this tourist town condemned the Nov. 30 clash
between the New People’s Army and government troops saying armed elements which
included rebel and government military forces should leave Sagada as it was a
peace zone.
The
municipal council issued a statement against the incident but the NPA’s
Leonardo Pacsi Command said in a statement said they ambushed the armed
government soldiers as theArmed Forces of the Philippines implemented
counterinsurgency Oplan Bayanihan program here.
Two
government troopers of the 54th Infantry Battalion were killed while four were
wounded in the clash at SitioPegew, Barangay Antadao.
Mayor
Eduardo Latawan and vice mayor Benjamin Capuyan insinuated the NPAs
should leave Sagada while councilor Jane Bawing and provincial board member
Francis Tauli told the NPAs and their supporters to get out from the
town.
Ka Magno Udyaw,
spokesperson of the LPC– NPA said soldiers were in uniform and armed with high
powered rifles when they left the Sagada Municipal Police Station, contrary to
their claims that they were not.
“The ambush
is part of our punishment to the 54th IB because of its human rights violations
against the people of Cordillera.” said Udyaw.
“To name a few, the continuous military
operations and forcible entry in the houses of residents of Asipulo, Ifugao add
up to their long list of crimes against the people. How can we forget the
harassment and destruction of the irrigations here in Mt. Province?”
He added the
54th IB started the forest fires and encamped in schools at Aguid, Sagada while
six high school students from Mainit, Sagada were beaten up by elements of the
54th IB in 2011.
“And because
of their extensive pursuit for Simon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan Sr., Cordillera
People’s Democratic Front spokesperson, their harassment to his father also
caused his death,”Udyaw said.
“The 54th IB
is also the culprit behind the deaths of William Bugatti, a staunch human rights
worker, last March 25, 2014, Artus “KaLibre” TamangenTalastas from Lias,
Barlig, Ronelio “Ka Renan” Balatines and Nardo “Ka Dose” Magnanang Gaong from
Ankileng, Sagada last June 2 of the same year.”
Udyaw said
the LPC-NPA can’t just stand by while military forces move around freely in
Sagada and other towns of Mountain Province.
In an
indignation rally held December 1 staged at the municipal grounds mostly
attended by high school students of Sagada, former Sagada mayor Tom Killip said
the youth should be reminded of the bloody incident in the late 1980s
resulting to the death of three youth due to NPA-AFP clashes making the
community to declare Sagada as a peace zone with no armed elements entering the
town’s territory.
In the latest
Nov. 30 clash, PFC Hanzel Onnon from Poblacion and PFC Osias Ing-ingan from
Can-eo, both of Bontoc died while PFC Ian Mango, PFC Nathan Focasan,
CPL Albert Paleyan and CPL William Agpawan were wounded in the ambush which
lasted from 10:30 to 11 p.m. that night.
The soldiers
came from a youth leadership training they delivered to high school students of
Sagada.
A police
report said the ambushed troops were led by Capt. Jefferson M. Somera.
Somera said
that they were headed to their camp in Paracelis when they were fired upon by
rebels.
Somera said
the conduct of the leadership activity which was participated by about 75 youth
leaders in the Cordillera was result of collaboration among the Philippine
National Police, AFP, Sagada local government and National Youth Commission.
Somera said
members of the AFP, PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have been
invited as speakers.
Somera said
members of the AFP were invited for the leadership youth summit.
He added the
ambush site had a history of ambushes perpetrated by the NPA against the
military.
As per
Somera’s recount, they were fired upon even while they were trying to get away.
The
fatalities were reportedly at the back of the second vehicle. The driver of the
second vehicle, PFC Nathan Cade Listino Focasan was also hit but continued to
drive until they reached Bontoc General Hospital. – With a report from Gina
Dizon
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