By
Freddie G. Lazaro
LACUB, Abra–Army troopers and communist
guerillas are still doing tactical operations on mountains here poised for more
clashes even as death toll from recent clashes reached 10 including an army
trooper and a civilian.
The longest of the
series of encounters started Sept. 5 at 9:35 p.m. and ended 5 a.m. the next day
here at the boundary of the town proper and the village of Guinguinabang
Rebels ambushed army
troopers transporting the body of a rebel slain in the Thursday encounter,
killing Private First Class (PFC) John Kevin Manuel, of the army’s 41st
Infantry Battalion (41IB), said Lt. Col.Virgilo Noora, 41IB commander.
Caught in the
crossfire was civilian Noel Viste, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Lacub, who
died on the spot, added Noora.
He said two other NPA
rebels were killed in the overnight gun battle.
Noora also confirmed
that three soldiers were wounded and identified them as Corporal Gilbert
Ba-awa, and PFCs James Ericson Danao and Randy Sayaan.
“The wounded soldiers
are now being treated in a hospital in Bangued, Abra,” Noora said.
Another civilian,
engineer Fidela “Delle” Salvador, staff
of Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera and CORDIS, both
nongovernment organizations was also killed allegedly by military troops during
operation in Lacub participated in
mainly by the 41st Infantry Battalion deployed in the area.
A CDPC press statement
said Salvador was in the area to oversee livelihood projects of their NGO when
she was killed.
“Aside from Engr. Delle,
Noel Viste – another civilian of
Poblacion, Lacub was killed in the said military operation. Noel Viste was among the 24 civilians who
were coerced by the 41st IB as human shields in the conduct of their
operation,” the statement said.
“Delle was on a
monitoring visit for various socio-economic projects implemented by CORDIS in
Lacub when she was killed. Delle was a civilian and a non-combatant. She had
dedicated most of her life, her skills and expertise in bringing much-needed
services to the neglected, far-flung communities in the Cordillera. She was a
staunch advocate of indigenous peoples’ rights, a strong believer in peace and
human rights.”
The Army reported
captured firearms from rebels increased to 15 after the soldiers recovered M16
and M14 rifles in the last encounter.
Six NPA rebels were
killed when the encounter broke out morning of Sept. 5 while 13 high-powered
guns were recovered.
On
Sept. 4, soldiers from the Army’s 41st Infantry Battalion clashed with around
50 rebels in Guinguinabang. The encounter left five insurgents dead.
Five NPA rebels, one
of them a ranking leader of the insurgent group, were earlier killed in the
Sept. 4 clash.
Maj. Emmanuel Garcia,
commander of the Army’s 1st Civil Relations Group (CRG), said eight firearms
were recovered that day by the soldiers from the Maoist rebels.
According to Garcia,
the gunbattle broke out around 5 a.m. at Barangay Guinguinabang.
Killed was Arnold
Jaramillo alias “Ka Mando”, secretary of the Abra provincial party political
committee and NPA leader in the province.
Garcia said Army
troops from the 41st Infantry Battalion led by Captain Dionizer Mark D. Delos
Santos were conducting combat operation in said barangay when they discovered a
temporary encampment of the rebel group.
There were reportedly
about 50 fully-armed NPA members, including at least 15 females, in the
encampment which is reportedly being used as a training site for the new
recruits of the rebel group.
Prior to the
firefight, the military received reports from the local populace about the
presence of armed men passing through some villages collecting foodstuff, money
and enticing young folks to go with them.
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