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Monday, March 10, 2003
2 rebels, not 1, killed in ambush v. soldiers
By Mia E. Abellana
NOT one, but two rebels were killed in the gunfight between an estimated 30 New People’s Army rebels and eight soldiers in Mabini, Bohol Saturday afternoon.
The fighting, which happened three weeks before the NPA’s 34th anniversary, left four soldiers dead and four injured.
Two of the wounded soldiers, Cpl. Roger Britanico, 27, and Pvt. Jerann Lampios, 24, are currently at the Central Command Hospital in Cebu City.
Britanico was wounded from splinters embedded in his right ankle and left leg while Lampios has a gunshot wound on his shoulder. Dr. Danilo Dizon assured they were both out of harm’s way.
The bodies of team leader Lt. Ronnie Bongaos, Technical Sgt. Oscar Ocho, Pfc. Raul Jandayran and Pvt. Ernesto Marcial were also brought to Cebu City.
Staff Sgt. Sulpicio Sanchez merely got splinters on his right shoulder while Sgt. Jose Bargayo grazed his neck. Both did not need much medical attention.
Britanico and Lampios told reporters they were at a disadvantage because the rebels were in an elevated area with many trees while they (the soldiers) were in the open road.
“When the bullets came pouring down on us, it was a case of every man for himself,” Britanico said in Cebuano.
Lampios said that the jeep they were riding hit a bump on the road and rested on its side, making it harder for some of them to get out when the rebels began shooting.
The bodies of the slain rebels were brought to a funeral home in Mabini for identification.
The rebels were split in two groups and were on both sides of the road.
Britanico heard someone shout “Assault!” before bullets rained on them.
He said the gunfight lasted for about an hour before more troops from the 15th Infantry Battalion reinforced them.
Follow-up operations are being conducted by the 15th Infantry Battalion.
Acting Centcom spokesperson Col. Nestor Añonuevo is convinced the burning of four buses in Daanbantayan town last week was an act of the NPA.
While they respect the opinions and analysis of the police investigators, he said Centcom has reason to believe the NPA was behind the atrocity, connecting the incident to the forthcoming NPA anniversary.
Earlier, police expressed doubts that the NPA was behind the burning of four D’ Rough Riders buses in Barangay Maya because one of them wore a cloth mask.
Aside from considering the NPA’s hand in the burning, the police are also looking at other angles including bus operator William Tiu’s relations with his employees, victims of vehicular accidents involving their buses and business rivalry.
Añonuevo said it is possible the NPA took advantage of the company’s labor problems and set the buses on fire.
He said both incidents were the NPA’s way of celebrating their anniversary.
“It’s not a preparation. It’s their way of celebrating. They celebrate by killing people,” he said.
Añonuevo added that the incidents would only reinforce the NPA’s tag as terrorists.
The bodies of the four soldiers will be shipped to their hometowns as soon as arrangements are made within the week.
(March 10, 2003 issue)
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