3 soldiers hurt in Mt Prov Army, NPA encounters

By Gina Dizon

BESAO, Mountain Province – Three soldiers were seriously hurt in  encounters with the New People’s Army Nov. 15-16 at the boundary of the towns of Besao and Sagada of Mountain Province and Tubo of Abra.

The soldiers belonged to a commando unit of the 50th IB and 503rd Infantry Brigade Philippine Army who were on the way to ambush a rebel camp, the NPA’s Leonardo Pacsi Command based in Mountain Province said in a statement .

The army commando unit reportedly secretly entered the vicinity of Mount Tabbak  Nov. 14 but this was monitored by the NPA. 

The following day, a team of NPA red fighters reportedly sniped at the advancing government troops. 

On Nov. 16, the NPA attacked the same troops while they were resting at Mount Amtinangad.

Police however said only two army soldiers were injured including a civilian when they were ambushed at Amtinangad, Barangay Ambagiw in this town around 2 p.m. Nov. 16. 

Police identified the two soldiers as Private First Class Rogelio Banig Latawan, of Guinaang, Pasil, Kalinga; PFC Menard Adolfo Manno of Upi Gamu, Isabela both soldiers of 503rd Coy of the Philippine Army and civilian  Raymund Bacali from Bangaan, Sagada.

The wounded Bacali and the two soldiers were admitted at the Besao District Hospital morning of Nov. 17.

Police said a combined team from the Regional Public Safety Battalion, Provincial Public Safety Company, Special Action Force and the 503 Brigade were conducting security operations when they met RaymundBacali and another resident from Bangaan named Robin who went to pasture their cattle near the boundaries of Abra and northern Sagada.  

Bacali and Robin were told by the soldiers to guide their way.

Police said Bacali and the two soldiers were resting when they were shot.   

“Instead of helping the nation recover from the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda, the 5th ID chooses to spend millions on military operations,” the LPC said in a statement.

“Since the second week of November, the 5th Infantry Division PA, combined with troops of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) and Regional Public Safety Battallion (RPSB) of the Cordillera reportedly launched widespread combat operation covering the towns of Sagada, Besao, Bontoc, Tadian and Sadanga of Mountain Province; Tubo and Boliney of Abra; and Quirino, Cervantes and other towns of Ilocos Sur.”

Earlier, unabated and synchronized military operations also by troops of the 5th ID and PNP started in the provinces of Kalinga, Ifugao and Isabela, the LPC said.

“These massive combat operations was launched amidst the grievous suffering of millions of our countrymen in the Visayas where thousands have died and entire towns and cities have been totally devastated due to the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda,” the LPC said.

“The entire world has witnessed the inefficiency and incompetence of the Aquino government in providing relief and rehabilitation services to the calamity victims.  Instead of concentrating on providing much needed assistance to the storm victims, the 5th ID and PNP is shamelessly and insultingly spending millions on a massive military operation while survivors of typhoon Yolanda are dying from hunger and chaos is breaking out in a lot of areas due to lack of food and water.”