CATBALOGAN, Samar
– It was supposed to be a happy fiesta celebration of the patron saint
Sto. Niño in San Jose de Buan town but it turned out into a bloody broad day
light ambuscade the other day, January 15.
The government troops, along
with some medical staff of the 8th Infantry Division en route to Catbalogan
was ambushed by a band of heavily armed groups believed to be members of the
dreaded New People’s Army around 10: 30 in the morning of Sunday (Jan. 15).
The rebels, according to an
initial report, were led by Kumander Batoy, Commander of Serafin Pasinos of
Arnulfo Ortiz Command, Central Front Samar 1, Samar Provincial Party
Committee of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (CFS1-SPPC-EVRPC).
The ambush which occurred
between the vicinity of Brgy. Babaclayon, San Jose de Buan and Brgy. Caranas,
Motiong town resulted to the instantaneous death of an army official, three
military men, two suspected young rebels and the wounding of seven soldiers.
The soldiers, led by Col.
Joel Cabides, Brigade Commander of the 801st Infantry Brigade were on board
two military vehicles when they were suddenly peppered with bullets coming
from a “high ground” slope of the area.
Col. Cabides, along with
this correspondent, which were on board the leading Hammer type jeep were
unhurt but with few bruises on hands and mud in their clothes when they
quickly jumped-off the vehicle and secured a “safer location.”
The other vehicle, a
six-by-six truck, full of military men and medics, however, positioned few
meters behind the led jeep suffered four casualties when the rebels
“showered” them bullets hiding in a “high ground” overlooking the government
troops.
Col. Cabides identified the
casualties as 2Lt. Ruby B. Dellano, Sgt. Jesus Relao, Corporal Roy Sulpico
and Private Antonio Tejo. Soldiers who were wounded in action were Sgt.
Mario Rosales, Pfc. Mario Abayare, Pfc. Bryan General, Pfc. Albano Datwin,
Cpl. Alexander Luzon, Sgt. Narciso Adao, Sgt. Anastacio Maran, Sgt. Baltazar
Abalos and Pvt. Anjannette Donato. They were immediately rushed by the reinforcing two
choppers to the military hospital inside the Camp Lukban, Brgy. Maulong
here. The fatalities suffered “fatal wounds” in their heads while those
injured were hit in their arms, ears and other parts of their body.
All the troops ambushed belong to the 34th IB and 62nd IB of the 8th Infantry Division.
Another two dead bodies,
believed to be “fighters” of the rebels were located where the rebels were
hiding. Local residents, however, denied they were rebels. “They were my
husband and my 12-yr-old son in Brgy. Caranas,” the victim’s wife said in
anguish.
Col. Cabides said the
rebels, numbering to about 30, were armed with high-powered firearm such as
M16, M14, M60 and Carbine rifles. The firefight started around 10:30 a.m.
and ended at around 11:35 a.m.
The military troops were on
their way home from the Peace and Development Forum and Medical Mission
initiated by the 8th ID which was the highlight of the fiesta celebration of
the San Jose de Buan town when the ambush took place.
The forum, it was learned,
was participated in by hundred of residents, in which some of them testified
in public the evils of the New People’s Army in that area.
The
Target
During yesterday’s
conference with the different military officials, it was later learned that
the possible target of the rebels was Yelen Acebedo alias ‘Ka Lyka’, a rebel
returnee who always accompany the military in previous forums in other
municipalities in the region.
“Si Lyka talaga ang target
nila, kasi they mistaken our Ruby (Dellano) who was the first to be hit.
Ruby wore the same color (orange) of t-shirt Lyka was wearing the evening
she exposed the underground activities of the rebels,” Col. Glorivine Dida,
the commanding officer of the 34th IB said. Lyka was on board the Hammer
type jeep when the incident happened.
The army official told this
writer that in the evening during the forum, Ka Lyka was approached by two
suspicious looking men asking her details on her next day itinerary, but
never gave any information to those strangers.
“I never gave them details
as I know they were representative of the enemy,” Ka Lyka said as quoted by
the military.
Meanwhile, minutes prior to
the ambush, four other civilian passengers of the Hammer type jeep insisted
to drop themselves between the vicinity of Hilumot and Babaclayon, the
villages located just before reaching the “ambush site.”
The four, identified as
certain Joni Bonifacio of Trexplore Adventure, Max Daquelanea, Nimfa Cruz
Patawaran and Dante Perano accordingly were on their way for a caving
exploration near the area. The three except Bonifacio were members of a
local media.
Army authorities said the
four were immediately interrogated and questioned for their “suspicious”
acts and by insisting to disembark before the ambush occurred.
