4 soldiers wounded in Isabela

ISABELA, Philippines – At least 4 soldiers were wounded by a landmine in Bgy Ibujan, San Mariano, Isabela during an encounter with communist rebels in the early morning of Friday, February 15.

The soldiers were part of the Army’s 86th Infantry Battalion who were conducting security operations ahead of the May 2013 elections. They received reports members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) were conducting extortion activities in the area. At around 1:00 am, they engaged rebels in a 30-minute firefight, according to Col Loreto Magundayao Jr of the 5th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office.

The army believes the landmine was planted by the communist rebels. They recovered used landmine detonating cords along with a magazine for an M16 rifle.

The wounded soldiers were evacuated to the nearest hospital and are in stable condition. The army is conducting "hot pursuit operations" against the rebels, according to a press statement.

The use of self-destructing landmines and other indiscriminate booby traps are prohibited under Protocol II of the 1980 Geneva Convention.

The Philippine military has repeatedly criticized the NPA for its continued use of landmines. The NPA claims that it only uses command-detonated explosives, which are not prohibited by the convention.

--------------------------------------------–
Rappler.com | February 16, 2013 |

Article Link:
http://www.rappler.com/nation/21922-4-soldiers-wounded-in-isabela

Military to probe Ifugao ambush as troops pursue rebels

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines has formed a board of inquiry to look into the deaths Wednesday of 11 soldiers and a civilian in a New People’s Army ambush in Tinoc town in Ifugao province even as two Army companies were deployed to hunt down the attackers.

AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said the board of inquiry will be headed by Colonel Reynaldo Labayen.

However, Burgos stressed that the focus of the AFP leadership at the moment is to get the rebels who staged the ambush on a three-vehicle convoy of the 86th Infantry Battalion that was ferrying troops back to headquarters in Kiangan town after turning over their post in Tinoc to a replacement unit.

Burgos said the battalion’s Alpha and Charlie companies were pursuing the rebels.

"The concentration right now is pursuit and making sure that the area is safe and secure," Burgos told reporters.

Earlier, battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Batara said his operations officer, a captain, and the wife of one of his men were among those killed. Two other soldiers and a civilian were wounded.

Batara, who survived the ambush, said all the casualties were in the lead vehicle of the convoy.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the attack on our soldiers who were there to provide a safe and secure environment for our people," said Burgos.

Burgos appealed to the rebels for sincerity in talking peace and to urge their armed units to stop their attacks.

"Sincerity should be exemplified not just by the top leadership but also translated to the smallest units as well," Burgos said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abigail Kwok | InterAksyon.com | April 26, 2012 | Article Link

11 soldiers killed in ambush

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE)- Philippine communist guerrillas killed 11 soldiers and one civilian in an ambush Wednesday, April 25, in the northern mountain town of Tinoc, Ifugao, a military spokesman said.

A three-vehicle Philippine army convoy was attacked by rebels from the New People's Army, Col. Loreto Maguddayao told AFP.

"Eleven soldiers, including an officer, and one civilian riding with them were killed," Maguddayao said.

An army captain was among those killed, but the apparent target was the commander of the 86th infantry battalion, Lt Col Eugenio Batara, who was also in the convoy but escaped unhurt, he said.

A civilian who played in the military brass band was also killed, while two other soldiers and another civilian were wounded.

"This is considered one of the most daring attacks by the NPA in this area in recent years," he said.

The NPA is the armed unit of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a rebellion since 1969, in one of Asia's longest running communist insurgencies.

The government last year boasted it had decimated the NPA ranks in the northern mountain regions due to successes on the battlefield and effective community work that turned villagers against the rebels.

Across the Philippines, the military said the NPA's strength has fallen to just over 4,000 fighters as of 2011 from over 26,000 at the peak of its strength in the 1980s.

Firefight is still going on as of posting time, according to Nolcom.

Nolcom is also monitoring the standoff in Scarborough Shoal between Manila and Beijing. The Shoal is off the coast of Zambales, which is under Nolcom's jurisdiction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rappler.com | April 25, 2012 | Article Link