Communist Terrorists Ambush Soldier-Community Workers in Eastern Samar

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City – In response to the request for law enforcement assistance from the Regional Trial Court Branch III of Guiuan to secure confiscated illegally-mined Chromite minerals, a military escort team of the 43rd Infantry Battalion in Eastern Samar on board a military vehicle was ambushed by about thirty communist terrorists yesterday at about 8:00pm at the vicinity of Barangay Antipolo in the Municipality of Llorente in Eastern Samar. The military vehicle was damaged when communist terrorists detonated the four (4) landmines they planted along the road. The soldiers fought back and bravely held their ground for about an hour until the perpetrators were repelled causing them to retreat with a number of casualties. One soldier, however, Private First Class Erwin G Ocenada, a native of Paranas, Western Samar was killed in the incident. Seven soldiers were wounded as well but only three remain under treatment at a hospital in the City of Borongan.

Eastern Samar has been recently featured in the media in relation to illegal mining activities. Along with other illegal sources of livelihood in the area, the illegal mining activities have been under the protection of communist terrorists who directly exact their share through extortion.

Aside from protecting illegal mining activities in Eastern Samar, the terrorists protect illegal logging and quarrying activities in Western Samar. In September last year, the terrorists ransacked the Municipal Police Station of Hinabangan in Western Samar after the local PNP intensified its anti-illegal logging operations and confiscation of illegally-cut logs. ###

Philippine Army Troops Expose NPA Deception and Human Rights Violations in Samar Island

Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City,Samar –Recently, the NPAs’ Efren Martires Command issued yet another concocted lies to the media on their growing strength and victories.

The Rodante Urtal Command of the NPAs even boasted of their brutality and savagery on 20 January 2012 against the peace-loving people of the quiet town of Lapinig, NSamar resulting to the killing of the private security of Mayor Romualdo Menzon who bravely engaged the local terrorists who attacked and raided a civilian community. This attack on a civilian target brings to the fore the NPAs propensity to extrajudicial killings and human rights violations. In their desperation due to the waning of their influence and the diminishing support from the people of Samar Island, the NPAs vented their anger and frustration by staging a deliberate attack on a civilian center and firing indiscriminately without compunction upon innocent civilians just like what they did in Hinabangan, Samar last year.

Alias Karlos Manuel, EMC spokeperson, wanted to appear remorseful by offering apology to placate and commiserate with the families of the victims of their rampage. The international community knows that an attack on any law enforcement member and civilian target is an unlawful act and yet the NPA has claimed that the police in Lapinig were “legal” targets. The family of Mr. Romeo Senobio Jr., who the NPA shot while inside his residence, knows that the lawless group barged into their home, shot their family member in the head and back although unarmed. What about the basic human right of Joshua Picayo, a four year-old boy who was hit by a stray bullet coming from the NPA group when they indiscriminately fired at residences in the town proper? The boy sustained a four-inch open wound at his waist. How could the NPA group afford to claim that they did no harm to the people who they robbed of valuables and properties? Of what use are their apologies?

“What the marauding local terrorists did to the people of Lapinig was a glaring example of the ruthlessness and violence yet they have the nerve to talk about extrajudicial killings and military abuses” said MGen Chan.

Aside from the recent lies spewed by the NPA group on Lapinig, the group has fabricated another lie in the Municipality of Catubig. The NPA has tasked its para-legal cohorts that it deceptively labels as “human rights mission” to cook up a story on the death of a certain Jovito Pajanustan who was found dead on November 28 last year in his farm near the boundary of Barangay Osang of Catubig and Barangay San Miguel of Las Navas. Instead of checking on the findings of the authorities in the area, the NPA-affiliated group visited their usual contacts in the community in order to ensure that they could put the blame on the government troops. How could they put the blame on soldiers when the area where the cadaver was found is highly influenced by the NPA group such that people in that locality live in fear of the NPA? Mr. Pajanustan’s body bore marks typical of NPA inflicted wounds on suspected military informants and private citizens who refuse to give in to their extortion.

However, the local barangay officials of both Osang of Catubig and San Miguel of Las Navas have exonerated the soldiers of involvement in the incident through the sworn statements that they have executed on December 26 of last year.

They said they are not targeting civilian in their terroristic attack by throwing detonated explosives. But, the question is “Are they not bound by International Humanitarian Law which prohibits the use of explosives?" In their desperation to kill members of the Armed forces of the Philippines many civilian people have suffered from losing their loved ones and getting injured. And that is how alias Manuel shows that NPAs are for the people.

“It is our primary concern and responsibility to protect and defend our people and help pursue peace and progress in Samar to make the life of our people better yet NPA rebels accused us as violators when in fact we, soldiers, are the ones helping our people even during disaster and calamities” MGen Chan added.

Again these lies peddled in the media are misleading and meant to hoodwink our people. It is just a black propaganda to divert public attention from their criminal acts. Mere statement of Ka Karlos Manuel will never win because they have done nothing for the improvement of the peoples’ life in Samar.

The people deserve to know the truth on the NPA group’s act of deception and violation of basic human rights so that the NPAs’ exploitation of communities will finally be stopped”, said MajGen Chan. ###