Three soldiers killed in Davao City ambush

MANILA, Philippines - Three soldiers were killed in an ambush Sunday by communist rebels extorting money from political candidates in Mindanao, according to a military official.

“The deaths were the latest incidents of violence perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in relation to their fund raising activities connected with the May 10 national elections,” said Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, Army 10^th Infantry division commander.

The NPA’s intensified extortion activities on local candidates nationwide have also resulted in the hostage taking of two mayoralty bets in Davao Oriental and Surigao del Norte.

The soldiers were ambushed in the outskirts of Davao City on Sunday as they were patrolling for NPA members who were collecting money from political campaigners.

“This is part of our efforts to keep the election safe and secure. We have hit the main terror group which has been influencing the area,” Holganza said.

According to the military, the communists were set to rake in millions of dollars from extortion this year, thanks to protection money forked over by politicians running in the May elections.

Candidates ranging from municipal councilor all the way up to the president are being asked to pay between 5,000 and 20 million pesos or their campaigners will be attacked, the military warned.

Last month, NPA guerrillas based in the same area as Sunday’s attack briefly held three campaigners of a mayoral candidate and burned their truck in what the military said was punishment for failure to pay their extortion demands.

Communist rebels continue to extort money from local candidates in various parts of the country and even held hostage two mayoralty bets in Mindanao, separate reports from the Philippine Army showed.

Also on Sunday, NPA rebels abducted Afran Quinones, who is running for mayor in Lupon, Davao Oriental.

Army 10th infantry Division spokesman Capt. Emmanuel Garcia said Quinones was with eight of his supporters when about 30 armed rebels clad in military uniforms held them at gunpoint.

Garcia said seven of the hostages were freed but the insurgents are still holding Quinones and a former barangay kagawad identified as Ronisito Pedro.

“Reports reaching authorities indicate the possibility of the failure of Quinones to pay extortion money disguised as ‘permit to campaign fee’ as the motive,” Garcia said. 

Compostela Valley Gov. Arturo Uy was reportedly negotiating for the release of the two hostages.

Extortion activities

Army 4th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Michele Anayron said another mayoralty candidate in Surigao del Sur was held briefly by the NPAs but was freed after 30 minutes of negotiation.

Anayron said the victim, Jessie Callano, was held by an estimated 30 rebels armed with high-powered firearms in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.

“The communist terrorists confiscated two .45 caliber pistols from his bodyguard and demanded P50,000 permit to campaign. However, after 30 minutes negotiation the armed group released the campaign party,” Anayron said.

In Panganiban, Catanduanes, troops from the 83rd Infantry Battalion clashed with 10 NPA members after receiving a complaint about the insurgents’ extortion activities.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the Army 9th Infantry Division which supervises the battalion, said the operation stemmed from a report by an unidentified politician who claimed that the insurgents were collecting campaign fees in his area.

“A 15-minute firefight ensued when the rebels fired their weapons at the approaching soldiers, after which the enemy retreated in disarray with their fallen comrades. There were no casualties on the government side,” Cabunoc said in a statement. 

The rebels were demanding P200,000 from the local bet.  

“The candidate was asked to go to a place where he was supposed to bring the permit to campaign money,” he said in Filipino.

At least two NPA members were wounded during the firefight and the military recovered two rifles and a backpack containing subversive documents after the incident.

Authorities are also investigating a grenade explosion in Kabasalan town in Zamboanga Sibugay, about 40 meters away from a Lakas-Kampi-CMD political rally.

Reports reaching Camp Crame identified the injured victims as Jaser Cabasing, 8, Stephanie Cabasing, 12, Ernesto Casil, 13 and Rose Binaoro, 36, all from Barangay Maligaya, Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Police recovered fragments of an M26 fragmentation type hand grenade from the crime scene.

Witnesses said two men riding tandem on a motorcycle threw the grenade and were seen speeding towards the municipality of Ipil. – Cecille Suerte Felipe