Troops exhume NPA mass purge victim

GOVERNMENT forces exhumed the skeletal remains of a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel believed to be a victim of a mass purge implemented by the Communist Party of the Philippines within the rebels’ rank several years back.

Major Angelo Guzman, Ninth Infantry Division spokesman, on Thursday, said that combined elements of the 49th Infantry Battalion and the local police recovered the remains of Juanito Hirang in Sitio Santol, Barangay Old Camp in Capalonga, Camarines Norte.

Lt. Col. Micheael Buhat, Ninth Infantry Battalion commander, said that the information was tipped off to them by the victim’s former comrade, who was then with the underground movement when Hirang was executed on July 9, 2004.

“It has been bothering his conscience for years that is why he reported it to the Army in order for the victim to have a decent burial,” Buhat said.

Hirang’s skeletal remains was turned over to his family in the municipality of Jose Panganiban.

Last year, some 30 skeletal remains of people also believed to be victims of the communist’s mass purging were also unearthed from a common grave in Bondoc Peninsula of Quezon province.

In 2006, dozens of bodies, also believed to be that of the Maoist rebels, were also exhumed in Inopacan, Leyte province.

The purging operations was reportedly implemented by the communist party starting in the mid 1980s through the so-called Plan Missing Link, which was meant to cleanse the underground movement of alleged military spies, or deep penetration agents.

In Mindanao, the rebels called the purging as operation zombie. A rebel caught spying, or suspected as an undercover agent is considered a zombie, or a walking dead.

Reports said that before a zombie was executed, he or she underwent first a mock trial. If the evidence was weak, he or she was detained and tortured to squeeze out information that would later be used as basis for his or her execution.

The purging took the lives of hundreds of suspected spies, which later caused a schism in the movement that also led to the murder of some communist leaders.

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William B. Depasupil | The Manila Times | February 21, 2013 | Article Link

Army private sacrifices life to save his platoon in NPA ambush

MANILA, Philippines - It may seem like a footnote in the avalanche of statistics about the four-decade communist insurgency in the country, but for 29 Army soldiers, Private First Class Edel Llamas, who died saving them, will always be more than just a name.

Llamas, a member of the 83rdInfantry Battalion, on Monday sacrificed himself in order to save the soldiers who were ambushed by more than 20 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Balatohan, San Miguel, Catanduanes.

The brave Army private did this by providing cover from his submachinegun, despite being pinned down by enemy fire, in order to allow his fellow soldiers to leave their truck safely as the ambushers did their worst.

“He selflessly sacrificed to save 29 lives,” Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division, said in a phone interview.

He said Llamas’s group was ambushed at around 1:30 p.m. while on board a military truck on their way home to camp. They had gone on a security patrol on information that the NPA was planning to bomb the hydroelectric power plant located in Barangay Solong.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), usually conducts a series of tactical attacks against government forces and private and government facilities in the run-up to its anniversary. It marks its 43rd founding anniversary on March 29.

According to Guzman, Llamas’s group was pinned down at the ambush site where the rebels had a vantage point.

“He was not wounded yet when he repeatedly shouted to his fellow soldiers to find a way to get out from killing zone. Ang paulit-ulit na isinisigaw niya ay ‘Baba na, baba na, ako na bahala ditto [he kept shouting, get down, get down; I’ll handle this]’ as he fired his K3 submachine gun against the ambushers,” Guzman said.

He said the military truck was crippled by at least two landmines that were detonated by rebels, who also simultaneously fired upon it.

“PFC Llamas provided suppressive fire against the rebels with his K3 sub-machinegun despite under heavy enemy fires. This brave act allowed the rest of the platoon to unload the truck then engage the NPA rebels in firefight before the rebels retreated,” Lt. Col. Rod Batang, commanding officer of the 83rd ID, said in a statement.

While scrambling for cover, PFC Elisio Gran was hit in his right leg and is recuperating at the Eastern Bicol Medical Center in Virac, Catanduanes.

Llamas, however, was not as lucky.

“He is a hero. He died saving his platoon, He died serving his country,” said Maj. Gen. Josue Gaverza, commander of the 9th ID, referring to Llamas.

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Jaime Sinapit | InterAksyon.com | March 26, 2012 | Article Link

2 rebel leaders, 2 rebel's kids killed in NPA clash with troops in CamNorte

MANILA, Philippines -- Four people, including two children, were killed in a clash between government troops and New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands of Camarines Norte Saturday, the military reported.

Among the dead were a ranking NPA leader and two of the rebels' alleged children who were caught in the crossfire, Lt. Col. Epimaco Macalisang, commanding officer of the 49th Infantry Battalion said.

The clash started after soldiers received a report that the rebels were asking for money and food in Barangay Malaya, Labo town. The clash broke when the rebels fired at approaching soldiers at about 1 p.m.

NPA members fled after 10 minutes, leaving behind two of their dead. The two fatalities were identified as Rafael Llanto alias Gopi, the second highest leader of the NPA in the region, and Benjamin Manzera, 54.

After scouring the area, troops also discovered the bodies of young boys identified as Michael Manzera, 10, and his brother Richard, 7. Both are children of slain rebel Manzera.

Major General Josue Gaverza, the Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, has condoled with the grieving relatives of the crossfire victims.

"I have offered the Army's assistance to the bereaved family members of the slain civilians. I am equally saddened by this unfortunate incident wherein these innocent children were caught in the crossfire. I have requested the PNP authorities in Camarines Norte to conduct a thorough investigation regarding this encounter," said Gaverza.

The soldiers also confiscated two highpowered rifles, including a caliber 5.56mm M4 Commando and a US caliber 7.62mm M14.
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26-Feb-12, 8:07 AM | Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
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2 soldiers hurt in Camarines Norte ambush

NAGA CITY, Philippine — Two soldiers were wounded when suspected communist rebels attacked a  Philippine Army team in Barangay (village) Daguit in Labo, Camarines Norte, about 30 km from the capital town Daet, early Thursday, an Army official said.

Major Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division based in Camp Elias Angeles in Pili, Camarines Sur, said the ambush occurred at about 1:15 a.m.

Wounded were Private First Class Alexander Saragosa and Private Arnel Sebua.

The rebels fled right after the attack, Guzman said in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Soldiers are pursuing the rebels, he said.

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By Jonas Cabiles Soltes
Inquirer Southern Luzon

1:31 pm | Thursday, February 9th, 2012

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