NPAs attack Abra Cafgu post; 2 killed

SALLAPADAN, Abra -- Two members of Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit were killed when New People’s Army guerrillas attacked their detachment here in Sitio Mong-ol, Barangay Maguyepyep on Thursday.

Maj. Grace Marron, spokesperson for the Abra police, said Dandy Wacguisan died at the scene while Gordon Gallao died on the way to a hospital.

Citing reports on the ground, Marron said the rebels raided the detachment at around 8:45 a.m., Thursday triggering a firefight which lasted for quite some time.

The two fatalities were slain as they tried to repel the NPA, a military officer disclosed on Friday.

 Lt. Col. Jearie Boy Faminial, commanding officer of the 24th Infantry (Wildcat) Battalion, said the personnel of the CAFGU detachment defended the camp against an assault by an undetermined number of NPA communist terrorists around 8:30 a.m. on August 15.

 The firefight lasted for 30 minutes, Faminial said.

 "We lost two of our men. They tried to fight and defend our detachment but it cost them their lives," Faminial said Friday.

 The 24th IB under the 70th Infantry Division has operational jurisdiction over the province of Abra.

 “The first CAA died on the spot after being hit, while the other was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead upon arrival at the Ducam Hospital in Dolores, Abra due to massive blood loss.

“The enemies were using scope from about 200 meters outside the camp but our people tried their best to prevent the terrorists from entering and taking over the camp,” he said.

Faminial said it is yet to be confirmed if the NPA suffered casualties.

Following the incident, Faminial immediately sent three platoons of soldiers to pursue the communist rebels.

 He said checkpoints at the possible exit route of the insurgents were established with the help of the Philippine National Police.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Lenard Agustin, commander of the 7th Infantry Division (Kaugnay), extended his condolences to the families of the killed CAAs, saying they died for the country as heroes.

In another statement, the Communist Party of the Philippines said the incident was a “slap on the face of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and their baseless bragging about decimating the NPA in the Cordillera.”