Army lieutenant killed by sniper fire

MANILA, Philippines -- A junior Army officer was killed by sniper fire when the unit he was leading was ambushed by New People’s Army guerrillas in Negros Occidental province Tuesday morning, the military said.

And in Samar, Army troops overran what the military described as a heavily fortified NPA “landmine factory.”

Captain Reylan Java, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said 2nd Lieutenant Jose Angelo Esguerra was leading troops of the 47th Infantry Battalion on their way to Barangay Basak, Cauayan town in Negros Occidental, ostensibly for “peace and development work,” when they came under sniper fire before noon in Sitio Manluya, Barangay Tuyom.

Esguerra was brought to Kabankalan Doctors’ Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

On the same day, soldiers from the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company clashed with NPA rebels in Sitio Avocado, Brgy Talalak, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.

In Samar, Lieutenant Colonel Niceforo Diaz Jr., spokesman of the 8th Infantry Division, reported that informants tipped them off to the explosives factory at the boundary of Barangays Santo Nino and Pagsanjan in Paranas town.

“Guided by concerned residents, the soldiers reached the vicinity of the suspected camp at about 5 a.m. on March 5. The NPA rebels who were heavily armed manning the camp were caught off-guard with the arrival of the soldiers prompting them to engage in a brief fire fight as they escaped,” Diaz said.

Sergeant Freddie Gusoso was wounded in the thigh during the fighting.

Found inside a big makeshift shelter and other smaller structures were 44 improvised landmines, a machine used to make them, 20 blasting caps with detonating cords, assorted “explosive production paraphernalia,” a B40-type rocket launcher with an improvised round, and an M16 rifle.

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07-Mar-12, 11:25 AM | Abigail Kwok and Jaime Sinapit | InterAksyon.com | Article Link

Honesty not buried in landslide-hit village

LA LIBERTAD, Negros Oriental— Virginia Callora was worried when she approached Privates Danny Faigane and Marlon Vera while they were digging with other Army soldiers in a landslide area in Barangay Solonggon here last week.

Her house was among the 60 buried in the rubble caused by the Feb. 6 earthquake, and the woman had been keeping her cash savings of P70,000 in a tin can inside the house.

Responding to Callora’s appeal for help, Faigane and Vera continued shoveling through the mounds of rocks and soil until they struck what had remained of the woman’s house. They finally found the can containing the rolled money bills.

They looked for Callora to give her her savings but could not find her. So they decided to hand over the tin can to her relative.

For their honesty. Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, 3rd Infantry Division commander, commended Faigne and Vera, according to a press release posted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Central Command on its blog. The two soldiers belong to the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company (32DRC) of the 3rd ID.

After turning over the money, Vera was brought from Solonggon to the 302nd Infantry Brigade headquarters at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay, Negros Oriental, for treatment of a cut in his right hand that he had after hitting a galvanized iron sheet during the retrieval operation.

He said he was happy they were able to help Callora.

Vera and Faigane also informed 1st Lt. Gerald Deles, commanding officer of the 32DRC, about the P70,000 they found from the landslide site.

Undersecretary Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said he would write a letter addressed to the AFP recommending that Faigane and Vera be promoted as reward for their good deed.

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By Florence Baesa
Inquirer Visayas

10:00 pm | Monday, February 20th, 2012

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Soldiers dig for bodies from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

HIS day starts from where he finished.

For almost two weeks now, 2nd Lt. Ronel Gebura of Army’s 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company has been digging in Barangay Solonggon, La Libertad, Negros Oriental to look for earthquake survivors.

Despite the stench of bodies and danger of another landslide, Gebura and the 50-manned troop will not stop searching until told to do so.

“I can feel the sentiment’s of the victims’ families. It has become my motivation,” he said.

As of yesterday, only four people were found while 38 others were feared buried alive in the area. The neighborhood was layered with soil and boulders after a part of the hill collapsed due to an earthquake with a 6.9 intensity hit last Feb. 6.

Intermittent rain, aftershocks and heavy equipment that conk out every so often plague their operation in retrieving buried people, alive or dead.

Some of his troop mates were also injured after tripping over galvanized iron sheets in a pile of debris.

The soldiers start their day at 6 a.m. digging using picks and shovels and end it at 6 p.m., and taking only lunch breaks.

They also help in facilitating the turnover of relief goods to evacuees.

Sun.Star Cebu found Gebura relaxing on a hammock strapped to a shack that serves as the troop’s sleeping quarters.

He had just finished his lunch of fish stew and kamote leaves.

It was his decision to be part of the Army just like his father.

“There’s nothing more fulfilling than in helping people and serving your country,” he said.

Gebura, a native of Iloilo, said he sympathized with the victims, having gone through a similar experience.

A fierce storm washed away their house and he had his then-pregnant wife with him, he said.

Because of the high risks involved in his job, Gebura said, his wife regularly reminds him to stay out of harm’s way.

They have two children, aged six and three.

He would have wanted to bring a picture of his family but anticipated that it could get wet in the rain.

After the interview, Gebura went back to his work, reminding himself of the cries of the victims’ kin and his family.

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By Davinci S. Maru

Friday, February 17, 2012

SunStar.Com.Ph

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Army suspends offensives vs NPA in quake-hit areas

The Philippine Army has suspended tactical offensive operations against the communist New People’s Army areas of Negros devastated by a magnitude-6.9 quake last Monday.

Col. Francisco Patrimonio, the Army's 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said he has instead mobilized his men to help in the retrieval of bodies from the rubble, according to a report on Visayan Daily Star.

Patrimonio said at least 300 soldiers and government militiamen are working in the retrieval operations, including landslide-hit areas in Planas village in Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental and in Sorongon village in La Libertad town.

He said they need more equipment, such as chainsaws, picks, shovels and other powered tools for retrieval operations in two landslide areas.

As of Thursday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) had said at least 26 were confirmed dead and 71 still missing in the wake of Monday's quake.

The Visayan Daily Star report quoted military reports indicating some 100 armed NPA members are still operating in Negros Oriental.

Of these, 50 are in the hinterlands of Guihulngan and neighboring areas, under the Leonardia Panaligan Command.

'Appeal' to NPA

Meanwhile, Capt. Reylan Java, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman, appealed to the NPA leadership in Negros Island to spare the rescue workers from hostile actions.

He urged the NPAs to help the affected residents instead.

Java said troops of the 11th and 79th Infantry Battalions and the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company, all being supervised by the 302nd Infantry Brigade, were marshaled to perform rescue and retrieval operations in affected communities.

Two Air Force helicopters from the 2nd Air Division in Cebu are now being utilized in the search and rescue mission.

Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, the new 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said they will continue efforts to help those affected by the natural disaster.
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LBG,
 GMA News Online
February 10, 2012 9:40am
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