3 Army killed, 1 wounded in NPA ambush

In what is reported as the second major offensive in Negros Oriental, New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas ambushed and killed three Army soldiers including a lieutenant in the mountainous city of Canlaon Aug. 7. Another soldier escaped unhurt.  

By Karl G. Ombion
Bulatlat.com

BACOLOD CITY -- Three soldiers including a lieutenant were killed while one escaped unhurt after they were ambushed by New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas in Crossing Balbastro, Sitio Inayawan, Barangay Niluthangan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental early afternoon Aug. 7.

Killed in the ambush staged reportedly by an undersized NPA platoon were First Lt. Geisson Regner, commanding officer (CO) of 11th IB Charlie Company, S/Sgt. Edwin Allin and Pvt. Jojo Javier. 

One of the soldiers, a private first class, with no injuries, it was reported.

Seized by the guerillas from the soldiers, according to a Lieutenant Sarmiento, personnel officer of the 11th IB, were three M-16 rifles and a .45 pistol.

On board an Isusu KB pick-up truck, the soldiers came from their headquarters in Canlaon City and were headed for a detachment of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) to deliver supplies in Magallon town, when the NPA guerillas opened fire on them. The ambush site, Crossing Balbastro, is five kilometers away from the Calaon city proper.

S/Sgt Rudy Estrella of the 303rd Brigaide said on the other hand that Regner was on his way for a wedding and vacation in his hometown Tagbilaran, Bohol, when the ambush took place.

Allin was from La Castellana and Javier from Canlaon.

The bodies of the slain soldiers were airlifted by a chopper to Bacolod City where they were laid to rest at the Alisbo Funeral Parlor.

The Isusu pick-up truck is reportedly the same vehicle used by Vice-Mayor Jose Cardenas when he was also ambushed by the NPA Red fighters years ago.

Barangay Niluthangan has been witness to several fierce battles between government forces and NPA guerillas in the past years. The Aug. 7 ambush was the second major tactical offensive carried out by the NPA in Negros Oriental in almost two years. The first was also an ambush of a composite group of policemen from the towns of Vallehermoso and Guilhulngan towns.

Earlier, Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines, had called on NPA guerilla units nationwide to intensify armed offensives against what the armed left said as the “U.S.-Macapagal-Arroyo fascist regime.” Bulatlat.com

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