AFP, NPA urged: Leave Sagada, respect peace zone

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