BEN SERRANO
Contributing editor
BUTUAN CITY—At least four government troopers were killed while four others were wounded when an estimated 60 to 100 New People’s Army rebels ambushed them in broad daylight in Sitio Bantolinao, Barangay Ganayon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, afternoon of December 2. .
Police Senior Supt. Samuel Yordan, Asst. Regional Director for Operations PNP 13 (Caraga Region) told this writer sketchy reports reaching his office last night that four were killed not 14 as earlier reported while two others were wounded when members of the 36th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army aboard Army trucks on the way to Tandag City were ambushed by the rebels.
“There were no specific details yet including identities of the casualties and wounded but reports from my men in the field confirmed the ambush, the military has the information as of now” Yordan said.
Yordan claimed that based on the sketchy reports the communist rebels allegedly planted landmines along the national highway then blasted it as soon as the military vehicle passed through it then opened fire.
This writer tried to contact Army Col Leonardo Gupana, 401st Philippine Army Brigade Commander who is based in Tandag City in Surigao del Sur but to no avail despite several attempt to reach him through mobile phones.
Last Saturday, the more than an hour firefight between patrolling government troopers and communist rebels in Sitio Mansanitas, Barangay Tabon, Loreto, Agusan del Sur have left many wounded in the government troopers side, the New People’s Army report claimed.
But police and military reports claimed otherwise.
Belated report reaching Caraga Police Information Office here claimed that the encounter occurred after patrolling soldiers belonging to the 7th Special Force Operating team headed by Lt. Leonardo Gale which composed of four teams encountered the group of the New People’s Army Front Committee 34 headed by certain Kumander Michael of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SRMC).
The communist rebels according to the report fled towards the direction of the mountainous area of the Compostela Valley Province which is adjacent to Loreto town and where the boundary of the two provinces, Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley is located.
Responding government troopers recovered in the crime scene an ammunition rifle grenade, one 9 mm pistol and seven pack bags which contained personal belongings.
The report also claimed they are still identifying wounded victims.
Report from the intelligence community claimed communist rebels from Caraga Region and Compostela Valley do exchange utilization of troops making the huge mountainous areas of the two huge Mindanao provinces as their home and training grounds criss-crossing in said areas.
Earlier, Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Santiago Cane, Jr. admitted before the presence of Sec. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process that illegal logging activities including illegal mining are undermining anti-insurgency campaign of the government.
He admitted that wealthy wood traders financing local illegal loggers are providing arms and ammunitions to the rebels to protect their illicit activities.
Esperon was recently here in Caraga Region to distribute cash assistance, goods, livelihood projects worth millions from hard earned taxpayers’ money to rebel returnees in exchange of firearms and ammunitions surrendered.
Critics claimed while government is inviting NPA rebels to surrender and yield their firearms and ammuntions, illegal loggers are doing the reverse providing them funds, firerams and amuntions for the protection of their illegal logging activities in the mountains where the communsit rebels also live.
Contributing editor
BUTUAN CITY—At least four government troopers were killed while four others were wounded when an estimated 60 to 100 New People’s Army rebels ambushed them in broad daylight in Sitio Bantolinao, Barangay Ganayon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, afternoon of December 2. .
Police Senior Supt. Samuel Yordan, Asst. Regional Director for Operations PNP 13 (Caraga Region) told this writer sketchy reports reaching his office last night that four were killed not 14 as earlier reported while two others were wounded when members of the 36th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army aboard Army trucks on the way to Tandag City were ambushed by the rebels.
“There were no specific details yet including identities of the casualties and wounded but reports from my men in the field confirmed the ambush, the military has the information as of now” Yordan said.
Yordan claimed that based on the sketchy reports the communist rebels allegedly planted landmines along the national highway then blasted it as soon as the military vehicle passed through it then opened fire.
This writer tried to contact Army Col Leonardo Gupana, 401st Philippine Army Brigade Commander who is based in Tandag City in Surigao del Sur but to no avail despite several attempt to reach him through mobile phones.
Last Saturday, the more than an hour firefight between patrolling government troopers and communist rebels in Sitio Mansanitas, Barangay Tabon, Loreto, Agusan del Sur have left many wounded in the government troopers side, the New People’s Army report claimed.
But police and military reports claimed otherwise.
Belated report reaching Caraga Police Information Office here claimed that the encounter occurred after patrolling soldiers belonging to the 7th Special Force Operating team headed by Lt. Leonardo Gale which composed of four teams encountered the group of the New People’s Army Front Committee 34 headed by certain Kumander Michael of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SRMC).
The communist rebels according to the report fled towards the direction of the mountainous area of the Compostela Valley Province which is adjacent to Loreto town and where the boundary of the two provinces, Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley is located.
Responding government troopers recovered in the crime scene an ammunition rifle grenade, one 9 mm pistol and seven pack bags which contained personal belongings.
The report also claimed they are still identifying wounded victims.
Report from the intelligence community claimed communist rebels from Caraga Region and Compostela Valley do exchange utilization of troops making the huge mountainous areas of the two huge Mindanao provinces as their home and training grounds criss-crossing in said areas.
Earlier, Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Santiago Cane, Jr. admitted before the presence of Sec. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process that illegal logging activities including illegal mining are undermining anti-insurgency campaign of the government.
He admitted that wealthy wood traders financing local illegal loggers are providing arms and ammunitions to the rebels to protect their illicit activities.
Esperon was recently here in Caraga Region to distribute cash assistance, goods, livelihood projects worth millions from hard earned taxpayers’ money to rebel returnees in exchange of firearms and ammunitions surrendered.
Critics claimed while government is inviting NPA rebels to surrender and yield their firearms and ammuntions, illegal loggers are doing the reverse providing them funds, firerams and amuntions for the protection of their illegal logging activities in the mountains where the communsit rebels also live.
The Philippine Government is launching unified efforts for lasting peace and development in Mindanao.